The threat of Eric
by sporadiclove
Summary: Eric gleams about Four's feelings for Tris early on. But what would happen if he decided to use those feelings against Four and manipulate Tris/force himself upon her? What would happen? Would love r&r, this is my first Divergent fanfic!
1. Chapter 1

**This is my first ever Divergent Fanfiction. It came to me the other night when I thought what would happen if Eric knew about Four's feelings but decided to use them against him. I've put it down as Four/Tobias and Tris as Eric's only trying to get in the way. Although I can say Eric is going to be sly in some scenes! I hope you like it, a review would be awesome to see if people like this idea. Thanks!**

Note: I do not own any of these characters or the Divergent world/novel by Veronica Roth.

* * *

Eric calls me back after our first day of learning to fight. I quite literally stop in my tracks, a prickling of fear crawling up my spine. Don't be so ridiculous, he's only one Dauntless. He's just a slightly more intimidating Dauntless. A lot more intimidating. I hear the door slam shut behind one of the initates I can't quite remember the name of. I've never felt more shut off from the world.

"Tris." He says, clicking his tongue against his teeth.

I just turn my head ever so slightly, not replying. It would be foolish to speak to him without asking.  
I feel him approach my back.

"You didn't get the chance to fight today. I'd like to show you a few techniques."

"Thanks for the offer, but I don't think that's fair on the other initiates. The last thing I need is being singled out. So thanks, but no thanks."

I don't tell him that I'd rather not be alone with him in this room. I start to walk away and feel his hands brush the sides of my hips. Not gently either. His fingernails claw in to the flesh of my skin between my tshirt and trousers. I want to wince but I musn't show fear.

"You're forgetting, _Tris,_ that I call the shots around here."

I whip my body around and the glare in my eyes bores in to his. Now is the time for eye contact. By me moving, Eric's grip on me has fallen. His hand doesn't fall to his side, it just hovers there next to me.

His eyes are just as stern looking back at me. I can see the muscles in his jaw as he clenches it. He sounds like he's speaking through gritted teeth.

"Do you understand me? I don't care what _you_ think. I say and _you _do."

There's going to be no winning this battle. I feel my nose twitch ever so slightly as I smile at him the best I can. I think at most I manage a sneer.

"Good," his eyes sparkle with delight as he see's he's won this time. Emphasis on _this_ time.

He starts walking to me, his posture strong and striding forward with pride. My only option is to start walking backwards or move to the side. I move out of his way, thinking he's going to grab something for me to fight with. A punching bag? Oh god I hope he doesn't get weapons. Is this his way of trying to get rid of me?

"Ah, that'll do no good Tris."

He grabs again at my waist, digging in more this time as he starts to push me back. I feel my feet stumble over something and look at him rather confused. What is he doing? Why does he have to choose me? I'd much rather have gotten beaten to a pulp by Peter today. My breathe catches in my throat as the wall smacks in to my back. This time I can't help but wince.  
His hands loosen their grib on my waist ever so slightly. I gulp, looking up at him.

"There's a lot to do with attacking someone that we teach you here. But we don't focus too much on defense. With your rather small frame," His eyes graze up and down my body, it makes me feel sickened, "defense is your best option."

"So what are you trying to teach me? How to escape from you?"

"Well, well Tris. Aren't you a fast learner."

His hands leave my hips, grazing up my body. I shiver involuntarily because I feel so uncomfortable. His hands catch my arms, slowly tickling my skin making the hairs stand up as he runs his fingers down to my wrists. He grabs them roughly and pins them against the wall above my head. My eyes flash with uncertainty as his body presses in to mine.

"Eric -"

"Shh," he whispers to me. I can feel his breath hot, tickling at my neckline. This feels so inappropraite. I really wish Four would walk back in right now. Maybe he could tell him that this isn't appropriate when you're instructing someone. Maybe this is how the Dauntless work here. Who knows.

"I expected you to at least try and get out by now," he looks at me with a flash of... disappointment? I can't quite grasp the emotion.

I purse my lips and try to force my wrists forward out of his grasp. I manage to move his hand away from the wall by a few centimetres before he slams it forcefully back.

"This is hardly fair," I say through gritted teeth.

"I choose what's fair, what's right and what one man deserves and not another. It all goes through me."

I stare at him for a moment. The last few words he just spoke have thrown me off. What one man deserves? Is he deluded? I don't see how he is teaching me anything about defense. I decide to attack him instead. I raise my foot from the ground and stamp as hard as I can in to his right foot. He lets out a small grunt of pain. As I bring my knee up to his crotch, he lets go of one hand from around my wrist, grabbing my knee. His fingers lay under the back of my knee, supporting it.

"Ah. All in due time, Tris. A feisty fighter, I like it."

A noise startles me to my left, making my senses hyper aware. I try and move my head to the side but Eric's hand pinning my wrist is blocking my view. I push against it again. Maybe I can get away from him if he's distracted.

"What's going on here?" A voice says, that is laced with danger and annoyance. I recongise it to be Four's voice and breathe a sigh of relief. This is what I wanted.

"I'm just teaching Tris how to defend herself. You know how it is, can't let them fall behind."

"Well that's new for you Eric, normally you quite happily watch their demise without intervening."

Eric's hand is still on the back of my knee and starts to dig in. I can feel his whole body tense against mine with fury. I wish he'd just get off me.

"I think you should let Tris go now," Four says. His voice sounds strange when he says my name.

"We all know your opinion is best, don't we Four?" Eric says slyly, finally letting go of me, stepping backwards. I stumble forward for a second but manage to catch myself. I rub my wrists, I can see small red lines where his hands had incased them.

I push past him, heading for the door and shooting Four a thankful look. It isn't till now that I can see through his what seems calm behaviour, all his muscles are tensed. A vien throbs in one of his arms, raging.

Thank god for Four.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you so much for the response! I'm really glad that other people like the idea of this story. I've made this chapter longer in length as the first chapter I was mostly just testing about. Hopefully they will all result in around about this length. I've adjusted what they say ever so slightly as I don't want to copy speech right out of the book. Still on the same lines just altered!  
**

**I'm definitely going to be continuing this story!**

**Note: I do not own any of these characters or Veronica Roth's Divergent world.**

* * *

Once I'm out of the room, I walk slowly down a few corridors seeing several Dauntless hanging around the chasm with bottles of drink. I can't get my head around how they can just stand there so confidently when death could be a step away. I head down a corridor that's empty and out of the way to catch the breath I didn't realize I had been holding. I need to collect myself before going and seeing the others in the food hall. I start wiping my hands down my t-shirt, rumpling the material. It's almost as if I was dusting myself off. Dusting off the lasting imprint of Eric. Running my fingers through my hair, I catch a few knots and methodically untangle them as my mother would have done back in Abnegation.

I'm not sure how long I stand against the wall, breathing slowly in and out. I feel my heart beat no longer pounding in my head. The adrenaline is slowly leaving my body, calming down. I must have been gone quite some time for when I finally sit down with some food with Christina, Will and Al, they are practically finished. Christina is picking at some cake on her plate with a fork, mostly shuffling it around on her plate as she looks up at me.

"Where did you get up to?" She questions.

I give her a weak smile at her, "I just decided to go for a walk."

"Pretty long walk."

"Maybe it's just nerves. Being the last to fight when everyone else has already got a try at fighting... well it's not easy," I lie. I definitely would not have suited in Candor, lying comes so easy to me. I've said it before even really thinking over an answer in my head. There is a slight truth to what I am saying. I've already accepted the first time I fight, I am most likely going to end up with a black eye and several gashes in my face.

"Well, if you get Al at least you'll come out on top," Will jokes nudging in to Al's ribs. I hear a grunt and a feign at a laugh come from Al. He wasn't even trying earlier. He's a fool not to.

I mimic Christina's actions, pushing the food around the plate absently mindlessly. I'm not really listening to their conversation just allowing it to be background noise. It's a faint hum of chatter and laughs. I'm sure I heard a snort somewhere. Christina pokes me in the arm, pulling me out of my own world.

"Tris, were you not listening?"

"Sorry, what were you saying?"

"How long have you not been paying attention for?" She stares at me from across the table. I just blink at her a few times, honestly not knowing the time span. "Never mind. I was saying, had you noticed Four staring at you, which clearly you didn't as you're in your own little world."

At this point I lift my head up and look around the mass of tables. Some full, some with a few people sitting on the table itself swinging their legs. I scan the room and finally lock eyes with him across the room. He looks pissed. He continues to stare, his eyes showing one emotion while his mouth is laughing talking with the rest of his group. It's creepy how the two conflicting emotions on his face blend so well. Nobody around him seems to be wary of his stare. I recongise a few faces seated next to him but don't know their names.

"What on earth did you do to warrant that look from him, Tris?"

"I don't know," I lie again. I know full well why I'm getting that look. Four presumes that I was doing something entirely different with Eric than what actually was going on. I really hope that him looking the way he does means I'm not going to be singled out by him too. I'd do self pity and go 'Why me?' but the Abnegation in me would find that to be a self indulgent action. Pity is only self fulfilling, it helps no one. I still feel my former faction bubbling up inside me but the Dauntless wins out. I gulp down the piece of food I just started chewing down. It lodges in my throat, making me cough. I splutter for a few seconds before downing a glass of water.

"Hey Stiff, don't want you to choke to _death_" Peter comes by slapping me hard on the back. His voice is menacing, laced with a smile for everyone else. I can feel his touch reverberate across my back. If I wasn't already feeling winded, I would be from his slap. In Abnegation it would be seen that he was just trying to help me after I had started to choke. I know differently, Peter just wants any excuse to be able to hit any of us. I cock my head round and give him a glare, rubbing at my throat. I can think of nothing better right now than going back to bed and just laying down for hours on end. My back has had enough of being slammed in to.

My stomach manages to keep the food down for the moment. It feels like I have an empty pit of darkness in there.  
Four gets up from his table, strutting over with his arms crossed. The veins in his arms are still prominent.

"If you don't get up now, you're going to be late, initiates," he speaks in a cold tone. For an eighteen year old, both Eric and Four have become emotionless. Is this what Dauntless teaches you? To turn off the humanity to no longer show fear?

We all get up from the table pretty quickly, the noise of scuffling shoes behind him. There is muttering between Peter and his cronies, which I hadn't even noticed were with him. I really am not with it today. The day started out promising and turned into a whole heap of weird. We reach the doors of the room all the initiates bar me had sparred in this morning. Four pushes the door open to reveal punch bags hung on rails. It looks like a slaughter house, all the bags hung, limp and strong at the same time.

Four's voice rings round us all, booming. He's not shouting, he knows how to make his voice carry. This can't be the first time he has been an instructor.  
"Being not Dauntless born, most of you are weak. You do not know how to throw a punch properly, how to throw your weight in to it as you do. You have not got enough muscle. I suggest you use your time in here to practice properly. Unless you want to end up in the infirmary tomorrow morning."

Peter surges forward, eager to get the center spot where he can be seen by everyone from any angle. He's too eager for approval, to be the best. I shuffle in, taking a spot at the back next to one of the imitates called Myra. I don't know her well enough to make conversation with her. I look around at my surroundings, Four taking the floor. He looks at us, snapping.

"Aren't you going to get started?!"

At this point, everyone starts throwing their weight poorly in to the punching bag. The sound of skin against leather, the swish of the bags as they swing in the air is totally new to me. I raise my right hand and throw a punch. The bag barely moves. The skin on my knuckles feels like it has split already, they're not bleeding thankfully. The warmth of blood doesn't trickle down my hand.

I'm too involved in trying to use different punching and kicking techniques to notice anything. I feel a presence behind me, looming and full of danger.  
I don't have to move around to be able to recognize the person. The smell of him has been imprinted in to my head, sweat and liquor. I've never drunk before, I'm unsure what type it is. My hands yank up the side of my t-shirt that had started to slip off my shoulder, trying to give myself modesty. Maybe there was a bit of Abnegation in me. Maybe it was just I felt... vulnerable? No, that wasn't it. I could stand my own, to the best of my abilities. There was an uneasiness, the dark pit in my stomach was probably due to him.

"C'mon Stiff. I think you can do better than that."

I'm sure I could do better than that if your face was the target. I bite my lip to keep from talking back, tasting the metallic twang of blood fill my mouth. He's trying to provoke me that's all. He's just trying to find an excuse to get rid of me, it's highly possible he doesn't like my father's position. I can't justify his reasons. I could be totally over thinking this.

I take my arm and try to do a hard kick in to the bag. The force I put in to it, my frustration from today makes the bag swing the furthest back it has so far. I bring my arm up to do an upper cut just as it comes back. It makes an impact enough to thrust it back again, the skin on my knuckles feeling like they've split further open. I mutter a curse under my breath as a stinging prickles me. It thuds back in to my stomach. I wasn't prepared for the impact of it and keel over. I feel his breath hot in my ear, he doesn't lend a hand on to me, just hovers his hands above my shoulder, sparking the uneasiness to wash over me again. I flinch away from him and hear a rumble in his chest as he laughs.

"Better. But I still think you could do with some lessons from me."

I keep my position bent over until he's left my side, the begin to straighten my spine out. My mouth feels dry, I try to swallow and taste the after effects of the blood. I grab the bag, holding on to it for a second.  
I look around to see both Peter and Edward's punches making the bag thrust backwards so much there is a clang of metal as the clip that supports it bashes against the bars above us. Al looks like he's not even trying, I think he's certainly not enjoying this part of initiation. Didn't anyone tell him life was never going to be easy, especially a Dauntless initiation life?

Four is weaving his way through, giving advice to everyone. He keeps his arms crossed, giving off an even more intimidating presence. He makes his way over to me, level headed with a curious stare. He motions with his hand for me to continue. I turn back to the bag and try to hit in to it enough times, with varying punches to show I'm trying to learn. I kick at it a few times, struggling to get my legs up to get enough momentum. It hurts the muscles in my thighs and calves. The kicks are harder than a punch, my body is not used to any athletic activity.  
I need to show that I'm not weak, just because I didn't fight, or couldn't get Eric off me doesn't mean that I'm a little Stiff girl. Once I've stopped, I turn to look at Four. I can still hear the noise of skin, leather and clanking of chains. It seems twice as loud now that Four has made his rounds. His silence is unnerving, it makes all sort of thoughts run through your head. Was I good? Or was I that bad he can't even comment on it?

"You don't have a lot of muscle," his eyes flicker down to my arms, then my legs.

"The best thing you could do, is to use your elbows. They'll use the most force in your body."  
He reaches towards me, placing his hand on my stomach. My breath catches at the back of my throat. Not again. His fingers spread out, his thumb and little finger touching the edges of both sides of my ribs. His touch is cold and firm, pressing inwards.

"Here is where you should be focusing your strength from," he speaks in a softer tone now. It still sounds rugged with a bitterness. Is it because of me? I'm sure I'm just being paranoid in this situation.

Four releases his hand from my stomach, wiping it down the side of his trouser a few times. He returns his posture to the straight backed, arms crossed and chin high look he so often wears. For the duration of our training, I try and use the force of my elbow like Four says. He's right in when he says that's where the most force is. It makes tingles go throughout my arm when I hit it just short of my elbow. It feels like a thousand little fuzzy vibrations.

* * *

After the training session has finished, in which Four had clapped his hands the once so loud it sounded like thunder colliding in to a tree. I got out of there pretty quickly, purposely wanting to get away from both Four and Eric. Those two had such daunting presences it almost made it hilarious. Dauntless members being daunting. Perfect fit.

I'd decided from this point on that it may be better to stay in a group of people. Then I didn't have any viable option to be alone and approached by any other Dauntless members I'd rather avoid. I'd ask Christina if she was having the same treatment by Eric and Four but that darkened pit in my stomach was telling me to keep my mouth shut.

We were back at the table that we seemed to have assigned as ours - how long that was going to last I didn't know - in the food hall. The boys all were shoveling food in to their mouths. Will's pile of food was going to go from being a mountain of food to an avalanche of food any minute. Christina had been staring at him the entire time, with her mouth puckered in to the shape of an O. Her eyebrows were raised, looking at him in amazement. He grins at her through a mouth of food, causing her to shake her head laughing at him. It's wonderful to hear their laughs.

Al even joins in, it's amazing how he doesn't have any resentment towards Will for beating him up this morning. You have to get over that kind of thing quickly here, the atmosphere would be totally different if everyone were fuming and raging because someone had punched them in the face. All hell would break loose on every turn of the clock.

"Tris."

And all hell breaks loose again. I feel my body tense up, just as it had eased up for the day. Al, Will and Christina's laughs cut short and give me the look of pure fear.

Sweat and liquor. The liquor taking more of a highlight.

I weave out of my chair, letting the cutlery clang against the plate. It seems like the noise is amplified, following a silence that feels deafening. Except it isn't quiet, we are in a room that is full of noise with Dauntless members being sociable after their shifts have ended.  
I'm standing, back straight with my chin up.

"In my office, _now,"_ he spits at me. His hands curl around my upper arm roughly. His grip is tight, pulling me by my shoulder. If I don't move with him, my arm is going to dislocate by the force he's pulling me at. Christina's eyes are looking wild at me, mouthing "What's happening?" And all I can do is shake my head. I don't know what is going on.

I'm practically being dragged through the hall, catching people's faces turning to see the scene that is playing out in front of their eyes. I see in my peripheral vision Four start to get up from his table, eyes flaring. Another Dauntless sits next to him, slapping him on the shoulder pulling him back down in his seat. My face creases up, brow furrowing at him. Eric pushes the door open, smacking my opposite shoulder in to the door frame. I grunt with pain as it shoots up my arm, like a trail of fire licking it's way around my shoulder blades.

"Let me go!" I dig the heels of my feet in to the ground of the Pit trying to wrench my arm away from his grip. I earn a few more stares, none of them seem to show suspicion or surprise. Did this happen all the time to initiates that it was considered normal? Am I the runt of the litter that the other initiates learn through as to what not to do?

Eric stops dead next to me, turning his face slowly. He's much taller than me, so has to look down. His eyes are boring in to mine with the same fire that's still making it's mark on my body.

"Don't make this worse for yourself, Tris."

That's all he says. In a tone that is so harsh and cold, it feels like a bad winter that kills everything off. He pulling at me again, the socket of my shoulder screaming at me to move. I allow him to drag me, not making it easy for him. I stumble a few times but am stubborn enough to not give in. A test of endurance.

Eric pulls me in to a room just off where we first jumped. He releases me to only shove me inside, slamming the door behind him. I stumble forwards, catching myself on the desk with outstretched arms. Once I regain balance I twist round, leaning for support against the desk.

His office is filled with filing cabinets, a simple desk with a computer siting upon it. A blackboard hangs behind it, with initiates names scrawled in chalk.

I hear the sound of a lock clicking and have an even higher pitch of alarm bubble inside my chest. I feel like a creature trapped inside a cage that at any moment is going to be slaughtered. Maybe I'll be hung tomorrow by those bars with punch bags.  
Eric lets out a deep puff of air, adjusting his stance so he can face me.

"What have I done?" I intend for my voice to come out strong but it rises to just barely audible. Eric's face looks contorted, patches of red spotting across his face.

"Sit."

I don't object. If I thought he was scary earlier, I was underestimating his character and how scary he could really be. A mouse then compared to the raging beast now. I plop myself in to a hard backed chair, the stuffing compressing under my weight, bubbling out causing an uneven appearance. My hands clutch the wood at the edge of the seat. The arms of the chair feel like they are encasing me in to a trap whilst black spots dot across my vision.

Eric's movements are slow but calculating. His hands wrap around the arms, lowering his head to meet mine. It's so close the hot breath returns. It's slow, making fair pieces of hair tickle against my skin when he exhales.

"Look at me."

My eyes flash to his, the fire has not died down. My body is trembling so badly I clutch harder to the wood. My knuckles go white, stinging as the cuts stretch.

"What have I done?"

"_I'm_ asking the questions."

"Ask them then!" I spit at him. The surge of confidence has hit me out of the blue, adrenaline returning. Fight or flight.

It's fight.

"You do know Four has no authority around here." He's not asking, he's telling.

"What has he got to do with this?"

Eric's reply comes in a cruel laugh until it dies out. He cocks his head to the side, observing me. I feel the intense scrutiny and raise him a glare, locking my jaw.

"If you think he has any power, any say in anything, he doesn't. _I _do. _I _can do whatever I choose... or want."

"I still have no idea what you're blabbering on about." Careful Tris. I'm talking back too much. I'm going through the motions of confidence and an animal trembling. My legs feel weak.

I feel the rush of air as his right hand lets go of the arm of the chair, locking his fingers under my chin. He jerks it up so violently that the gulp that goes down my throat feels like a jagged rock.

"Are you scared of me Tris?"

I break eye contact with him, choosing to stare at a point in the wall just behind his head. I can see an out of focus smile creep across his face. Except this isn't something that makes you want to smile in return. It makes you want to shower for a week to try and rid yourself of it.

"That's exactly what I thought."

We stay there in silence, time whistling by. His fingers stay locked under my chin, his intense stare on my face scanning all the features of my face. My endurance didn't last long with keeping my eyes locked somewhere else. My eyes close, wishing to be somewhere, anywhere else.

My senses are now compensating for my eyes being closed. I only feel the release of his fingers from beneath my chin, his fingertips skimming the side of my face. His fingers gently tuck a piece of strand of hair behind my ear. I suck in air between my teeth as the presence of his lips hover next to the ear where his fingers still linger.

"I know exactly what I'm going to do with you."

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**Hope you all enjoyed it!** **I shall try and update asap.  
**** Would love to hear all your thoughts again. :)**  



	3. Chapter 3

**Today you get something rather... well! It's certainly a interesting EricxTris scene near the end. ;) **  
**  
I'm sorry (or not if you like long chapters? That would be interesting to know! I know how it can be overwhelming or underwhelming sometimes.**

Note: I do not own these characters or the world/novels by Veronica Roth.

* * *

Eric's hand retract, turning his face so that our noses practically touch.

"Tris, have you ever heard of the expression 'I say jump and you say how high'?"

"No. I wasn't born in Dauntless."

The sides of his mouth inch upwards, a sadistic grin taking form.

"Of course not. You're a Stiff aren't you?"

"Not anymore."

"Good answer. Faction from blood every time."

I take a gulp, swallowing the fear that had been rising in my throat. My brain was quick thinking, pausing causes hesitation and hesitation leads to suspicion. Maybe it really is the fact that I am my father's daughter that he bought me in here.

"Well, back to our little saying. When I say jump, I don't want you to have to ask how high. I just want you to _do."_ His eyes have narrowed, from this close up his eyelashes are no longer touching the skin above his eyelids. It's strange looking at Eric this close. You can see where lines crease in his forehead and lips, from years of disapproving looks and upturned scowls.

"I'm still not following. This isn't about my father is it?"

"You really are dim aren't you?"

I chew the side of my mouth. Back chat is screaming through out my head, I can feel the heat rise in my body as I breathe slowly in and out.

"Let me rephrase that question then, _Eric," _I spit his name out, the c at the end several pitches. "What do you want me to do?"

The glow of a win and my submission stretches across his face.

"What I want from you is to do what I say, when, not to question, not to even think one thought about not doing as I instruct. Get it?"

I can't keep it down any longer, I'm making dents inside my mouth where my teeth have dug in so much.

"And what if I decide not to?"

"I'll take every one of your little friends and make their life such absolute hell. No matter how hard they try, they will either end up over that chasm or factionless."

"Are you being serious? You're talking about committing murder." I'm blinking faster, the idea is chilling.

"What did I say about not asking questions? Who's that girl you're friends with? Christina is it?"

My face turns to stone. The irony at the phrase 'deadly serious' in regards to his tone makes me let out a splutter of laughter.

"Is this _funny_ to you?"

"No. I get it, you blackmail me and I do what you want and so forth." For what ever agenda I don't know.

"Perfect." He takes his face away, returning to his normal posture. He takes a small key from him a pocket in his trousers, whistling as he does it. There's no guilt in blackmailing an initiate that shows in his body language.  
Unlocking the door, he nods to me and at this opportunity I get out of that chair as quickly as I can.

As I walk through the pit, it's much more noisy with so many Dauntless bustling about. Some male Dauntless play fight with each other, if you can call play fighting most likely waking up with a black eye tomorrow morning. I bump in to a few people on my way back to the dormitories, one of them being Four. His hand grazes my elbow as if he intended to pull me the side. I instinctively pull my shoulders in to making myself smaller to be able to get through the crowd. I catch a glimpse of his eyes, which are glassy. He must be drinking.

I'm already pushing myself through, thanking my body for being small enough to be able to interweave. I reach the dormitories, pushing open the door. Peter, Molly and Drew hang in a corner, up to something. Their heads don't bob up from their intense discussion as I walk in. I'm able to get to my bunk, lay down and stare at the metal railings above my head. I hook my fingers through the looped metal. My eyes close, gripping harder on the metal so it cuts in to my skin. I scream mentally and thrash my legs angrily at the end of the bed. I'm having a tantrum like a child. It's not how a Dauntless acts but I feel I need to do this to express my first ever training day. After some period of time my body finally relaxes enough to curl in to a ball facing the wall. Sleep comes, until I hear the cries of Al. My hands muffle my ears as I let my cheeks become wet as silent tears roll down.

The training room today is filled with tables, set with knives. There are targets at a distance, one for each of us. I have no capability of aiming, so I doubt target practice today will go all that well.

Eric and Four stand together, their stances similar. Both of them lock gazes with me, different emotions in each. It's a gleam to Eric's eyes, where as Four's look curious.

* * *

"Today's lesson speaks for itself. I will demonstrate how to throw a knife for you all, then you are on your own. I suggest you don't try and maim yourself in the process."

Four takes position, pulling his arm back, wrist twisted. He lets go, the knife splitting through the air to hit dead on the target's center. There's a few low gasps by other initiates. Four is certainly skilled with knives. We all take our places, I pick up the knife gingerly to get a feel for the weapon. It's heavy but there is a slight urge of power tingle inside of me.  
I mimic Four's position as he held the knife before throwing, getting a few strange stares. Other initiates have thrown the knives, hitting the very edge of targets or falling short and clattering to the ground. The first attempts I make of it are meager at best. One spins in the air rather than slicing through it. When I do manage to hit the edge of the target, Eric is having an altercation with Al.

"Excuse me? What was that?"

I hear Al mumble under his breath.

"Go get your knife. Now."

"You want me to go get it when everyone is throwing theirs? Are you mad?" Yes, yes he is. We've all paused, falling silent and still bodied. The terror is rife in the air.

"Did I say stop?!" He barks out the order, immediately everybody returns to throwing their knives with hesitation. Except for Peter, Molly and Drew. Of course they're sadistic enough for that. They'd love him to get cut up, even aim for him.

"I'm not going in to that, I'll get stabbed for sure!"

Eric's expression turns to one of stone again.

"Stop. Everybody stop!"

Eric demands that the floor be cleared so that Al stands in front of a target whilst Four throws knives at his head. This is ludicrous, it's bullying. But it's Eric. The expectation of any part of humanity to shine in him is most certainly not apparent.  
I can't let Al do this. If this is a way to get back at me, for whatever I have done so bad to warrant this blackmailing assault I'm not standing for it.

"Stop," I pipe up. I walk over to Eric, Four and Al. I lock eyes with Eric. "You're just bullying. To throw knives at someone does not prove how brave they are, it only goes to prove how much of a cowardly bully you are." I'll pay for that later. Or now. It's highly possible that Four could be in on this and just 'accidentally' hit the knife in to my head.

It's decided that I'm to take Al's place. I set myself in front of the target, my eyes wide with the rush of alertness. Three knives are laid out in front of Four, he takes one, the tip of the knife pricking his finger.

"Are you sure Stiff?"

"Pretty sure."

The knife is pulled back, Four's expert aim makes me feel somewhat reassured. I close my eyes as the knife leaves his hand, feels the swish of air skim the top of my head as the knife makes contact with the hay filled target.

"Open your eyes," Eric's voice cuts the silence. They flutter up, scanning the room for his face. His mouth is quirking in to a side ways smile, arms crossed.

"Not even tempted to give in? C'mon, let somebody else have a go," Four's voice taunts.

"Shut up, Four!" It comes out snappier than I had intended. Good. Show no fear, when they show no mercy.

I see it coming this time. I don't flinch, my body is as still as a plank. It hits the target once more, I don't even need to look to be able to see it digging in to the red, tiny circle. It comes down to the last knife, Eric looking entirely bored with an eyebrow raised in exasperation. I spot Al's face, he's between a mixture of thankful and irritated. By taking his place, I've made him look cowardly.

I'm not paying enough attention to the scene that is currently going on, a stinging pain flicks the top of my ear. I hear the stab of the target and know that the target practice is now over. Fingertips brush my ear, coming away with specks of blood. Four did that on purpose. I scowl at him, lowering my hand.

"That's enough for today, initiates. We've had enough excitement on the cards today."

We are all required to set our knives back to the tables they were laid upon, initiates filing out animatedly talking about today's session. Eric's hand clamps down on my shoulder.

"I should keep my eye on you."

I shiver and shake off his presence once he's left the room, my mouth upturned in disgust. Four and I are left behind. He turns to me, his eyebrows furrowed. This will be my only chance.

"You did that on purpose, didn't you?"

"Yes, I did," he says meekly. "In fact, you should thank me."

"_Thank _you?" I grind my teeth together.

"You know, I'm getting a little tired of waiting for you to catch on!" His eyes narrow in to a glare, curiosity still shining in his eyes.

"To what exactly? How you're just like Eric in how sadistic you are?"

"I am not sadistic." His voice stays still, approaching me. His grip on the knife he's holding makes his knuckles appear as white as paper.

With my head cocked, jaw locked I reply as confidently as I can. "Well I beg to differ."

His lip quivers with fury, slamming the knife in to the table. It stands straight in the wood as Four storms out of the room, leaving me standing clutching the nicked ear. I'm standing for so long my body begins to sway to compensate for it. I'm left looking down at the hard floors, zoning out when the tell tale signs of the creaking of the door bring me out of my haze.

It's Eric. His foot steps give him away. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. Why does he always appear at the times I need to be most away from people?

He has a smile on his face that transforms him in to the look of a cunning fox. My face is blank, in fact I think I can feel the outer edges of my mouth sagging.

"Tris. Just the person I wanted to see in here."

"I can't say I return the favor."

His eyes narrow at this.

"Ooh, so brave. Back chat."

Eric crosses the room, approaching and towering over me. He bends his head, eyes flickering across my face. I can practically feel the touch of his eyes, my shoulders tense.

"Did you enjoy the little scene earlier that played out for you, Eric?"

"I can think of a much better scene we could do."

His hands make contact with my waist, yanking me against his body.

My hands instinctively reach up to his shoulders, shoving. "Get. Off. Me."

"Poor little Al, would be a shame if next time the knife ended up say.. in his neck." His face presses closer to mine, with such scrutiny.

"I want you to do something," he speaks much more softer.

My voice falls flat, with a tone of resentment. "What is it?"

"I say jump and you don't even ask how high. You just _do _it. Remember?"

I cock my head to the side, releasing my hand from his shoulder to pinch the bridge of my nose.

His fingertips graze my body, making their way up to meet my pinched fingers. They curl around my fingertips. I try to  
draw them away from him. I look down at the same between us and nod. I can't be responsible for someone else becoming factionless purely for being selfish enough to not want to do a request of Eric's. I bite my lip in confliction. Just get over it Tris. This is what it is.

"Good," he whispers. His voice now goes below a whisper, only audible to me because I'm so close to him. I can feel his steady breaths whilst mine are coming out in short pants.  
Eric brings my hand away from my face, to place on the back of his neck. His hand encompasses mine.

"For a Stiff, this is going to be pretty hard for you."

His hand leaves mine to cup under my chin. His touch is light, fingers slowly stroking the sensitive skin I never knew existed there. It moves to my cheek, sending chills down my spine, setting the hairs on my arms to raise as he strokes my cheekbone. The hand on my waist closes the small distance against us so our hip bones are touching. It makes a small bumping noise. My breath is coming quicker now. I most certainly know where this is going and I don't like it.

"I didn't sign up to this Eric."

"Yes you did. Make it believable for the cameras."

"Well I don't want to." Cameras?

He tuts. "Must we go over this again?"

"Eric -" I start to say as he crooks his head down so his lips can meet mine. My body goes still, barely breathing. When I'm not responsive, the hand on my waist digs in. What was it he said? This is the first time I've ever been kissed and regardless of the major dislike forming for Eric, my thoughts have become muddled.

His eyes are still open, looking down at me. Weren't you meant to close your eyes when you kissed someone? His eyes bore in to mine and the words "jump" are mumbled against my lips. I close my eyes and relax my body in to him whilst my brain is shouting at me to run away.

His touch becomes more demanding on my lips. My face crumples in confusion.

"Open them, Tris," the vibrations of his words against my lips make them tingle.

I stay there for a moment letting the information process. Open them? My lips?

I let my lips part against his and fingers move to hook four fingers behind my ear, his thumb gently stroking my face. He deepens the kiss, I can understand why parted lips can play such a big role. It takes me by surprise when his tongue flicks against mine. My hands suddenly grip against the back of his head, winding my fingers through his hair. I feel a rumble in his chest I think is meant to be a laugh. I feel his tongue retract from mine.

"Do I need to guide you the entire way through this?" His voice is so quiet against my lips, though I know he's spoken as I feel the tingle of his words send a shiver down my body again. I've kept my eyes closed and the rumble in his chest returns.

"I see I will have to. Well, you can consider this one of your training sessions," his lips touch mine briefly.

"You're meant to use your tongue against mine."

"Why?"

"Because that's how you french kiss."

"We aren't french Eric. Nor do I want to be kissing you."

"Are you going to be quiet Tris... or shall I get one of the knives from over there ready for Al?"

His fingers dig in to the sensitive skin in my neck. I shut up. I feel the smile that's on his face as he starts to kiss me. My heart sinks as I realize that I'm having to kiss Eric and to what purpose I don't know. Surely if he got caught, this is the last thing he'd want to be caught doing? Couldn't he get kicked out for this? Why does he want the cameras to be watching this?

I'm so consumed in my thoughts that I forget what I'm meant to be doing and get reminded by a not so friendly reminder of Eric's finger nails making marks in my skin.

I tentatively open my mouth once more and flick my tongue out to meet his. The build up of heat is starting again. Is this an involuntarily response because this happens even with someone you don't like or am I just running out of air? I'm not sure if Eric's playing along still when he lets a groan out. We stay this way for a while, Eric's hand starts to creep from my waist to the small of my back, pressing me further in to him if that's even humanly possible.

He stops and we both take in deep breaths.

"I want you to groan Tris. Make it believable."

He plants a few more kisses against my lips, his hands traveling down my sides. My fingers are still entwined in his hair, pulling at it in frustration.

"I want you to tip your head back in a second. You'll know when, at that point, groaning is _certainly_ important."

Make it believable? What is this? Some practice session for doing it in front of someone else? I still can't figure out his motives. Christina, Will and Al's face flash behind my eyelids. I have to do this for them. _They better make it past initiation_.

His tongue flicks out and runs across my bottom lip, I let out a small groan. I didn't force it. My eyes flash open for a second, surprise casting over my face. He presses his face closer to mine, nibbling on my lip. A sigh escapes my lips followed by a groan.  
Eric's mouth leaves mine, pressing his lips to the side of my mouth, making a track all the way to my jaw. Each kiss he is planting is sending a fiery sensation to the pit of my stomach. I realize that this is it, so I tip my chin up, letting my hair fall backwards in a shower of blonde waves down my back. The groans are coming thick and fast now. I untangle my hand from his hair to travel up and down his head, grabbing on to it hard as his tongue starts to flick at my neck. A throaty elongated groan comes from my mouth.

"Eric, no."

He smiles against the pulse point of my neck.

"Turn that no, in to a yes."

When he flicks his tongue out, my back arches. I want to scream at my body for betraying me in this manner. He continues a trail of kisses down to my collarbone, stopping when he reaches the neckline of my t-shirt.  
Eric's hand leaves the sides of my face, to meet in symmetry to the hand on my waist. He pushes me up off the ground by quite a distance. I yelp out in response.

"If you don't grab on to me, I _will_ drop you enough to break your ankles."

I have just enough time to pull my legs up and lock around his waist before I fall back down. I don't want him to drop me. I'd be made to fight even on broken ankles.

"What a fast little learner you are. Surprising for a Stiff."

"Only because you force me to," I grunt against his kisses.

His hands grab my thighs keeping me in place. I feel a little uneven so move my arms to cup both hands behind his neck. I pull my head down, scouring his face with open eyes. He opens his as he looks up at me, an evil little gleam shining in his eyes. What is he up to?

"You can put me down any time."

I feel the jolt of the tables edge against the back of my thighs as Eric takes one hand away from supporting my legs to scatter the knives away off the table. They clatter to the floor in a shower of noise as he slides me off away from his waist on to the table. His hands work in to behind my waist and pulls himself in to my body again. My legs hang off the table either side of his waist. Eric's hands creep their way up my body to rest at my shoulder.

"No." I grunt at him.

He starts to slide my t-shirt to the side to reveal the strap of my bra. A hand goes up to rest on Eric's chest. I don't think I can do this. This... this I can't do.

He leans his face in to me, "It's nearly over, Tris."

"Why are you doing this?" It comes out as broken speech.

"All the more better for you not knowing," he says menacingly. His fingers are trailing over my chest as he kisses the skin now showing my bra strap. His hands start to pull at the hem of my t-shirt. My breath is hitching in my throat, I feel dizzy.

"Groan," he whispers. I respond, squeezing my eyes shut just as the door to the room gets violently pushed open. It slams loudly behind the person, I can't tell as my head is tipped back too far. I hear a chair being scraped along the floor to be shoved next to the handle to the door. I can't see the figure but am guessing it must be someone even higher in position than Eric, wanting to have at him for doing this with an initiate.

"Get. Off. Her." A voice says, controlled. The control doesn't hide the fact is sounds absolutely murderous. My head jerks forward as Tobias stands a small distance away from us. His chest is puffed out, hands curled in to fists.

Eric laughs in to my shoulder, quiet enough that only I can hear it. His hands leave my body, his head rising. He twists his body, so his back is now to me. He places his hands behind him on the table to support him. The hands fall outside of my legs, squeezing them in so they curve in to the sides of his waist.

"Sorry, what was that?" Eric says. He doesn't speak like he's out of breath, it's just as controlled as Four's. I wish I could stop the short panting breaths.

Four takes a stride toward us.

"I said, get off her Eric." He's not looking at Eric. He's looking at me. There is a strange look in his eyes. Hurt? Why on earth would Four be hurt? Pissed for Eric breaking the rules? Sure. I could understand that. But this? It looks like someone just ripped off a body limb and tossed it to the wolves.

"You knew I'd be in the control room, you sick-"

"Upset I was first for once?" Eric taunts. I'm not able to follow their conversation properly, they're talking too fast and the dizziness is making my head fall forwards in attempt to calm myself down.

At this point, Eric lets go of the table and approaches him. Four goes to hit him and the start of a brawl is about to happen. I can just predict the punches and kicks each of them will throw. They're too matched to have one of them a winner. They don't notice me as I plop myself off of the table on to the ground. My arms swing outwards as I settle myself. I run fingers through my hair to find it knotted, with my lips puffy and bruised when they find their way to my face. I walk towards them, hesitant to not get punched.

"I'll... I'll just go." I speak out. It comes out as quiet as a mouse the first time round so I have to force myself to say it again.

Four turns, his brow furrowed. He finally takes me in and looks at me in full. I can see him scan my tangled hair, his eyes rest on my lips and linger before his eyes finally rest on the single bra strap showing.

He turns furious, cursing at Eric. Eric's response is only to laugh. Four's fist goes out, punching him in the nose. Blood spurts out of it like a fountain as another hit goes right for his jaw. He goes down like a puppet, collapsing on the floor, completely knocked out.

"Tris?" Four says, his voice choking.

* * *

**DUN DUN DUN.  
Thank you SO much for the reviews! I've found I'm really encouraged when I hear from you readers so would be wonderful to hear from others reading the story.**

Especially as this chapter was a bit... I didn't know if people would like it! I tried to make it as evident as I could Tris didn't want to be doing it but couldn't help her reaction. Does that even make sense? Till next time!


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you SO much for all the support and reviews. I love hearing from you guys! :)**

**Just in case people question why some of this isn't fluid in time lines as to how it is in the book it's purely down to I have to jiggle events so I can fit everything in/have to cut some bits out as they need to for this story.**

**Note: I do not own these characters, or the world/novel created by Veronica Roth.**

* * *

Four remains where he stands, pain striking across his face. The silence makes the air feel thick and heavy, my lungs feel like I'm choking down smoke. A fire is ablaze in his eyes.

"Were you waiting out there all this time?" My voice comes out tentatively as I drag a hand to my face. I cover my eyes with my palm. If it's to steady the dizziness inside of me or out of utter shame I can't quite decipher. It feels as if life had just sped up moments ago, now it is slow motion.

"No. I work in the control room, I -"

"You saw the _whole thing?!_" My hands squeeze in to my face, they feel clammy against my skin. The familiar prickle of heat spreads across my cheeks.

"Afraid so."

There is a muffled groan from Eric on the floor. I peek through my fingers to see blood bubbling from his mouth. I cringe away, taking physical steps to distance us. I can't say he didn't deserve it. The sight of blood dripping from his mouth doesn't help me.

"God, this is so embarrassing," I'm shaking my head, muttering to myself. "Is this it for me then? Did you come along to kick me out? Because if you are, just say it."

"I'm not going to do that."

I pull my hand away to stare at him. I want to look in to the whites of his eyes and make sure that he isn't lying to me, that this isn't some kind of set up. "Why?" I ask meekly when nothing happens, I become curious. He just stands there with his hands falling to his sides, puppet like.

"Because I don't think you did this willingly."

I say nothing.

"I know how blackmail works," his voice cuts the air with great resentment.

I jut my jaw to the left, then to the right, weighing if I should tell him. Nothing Eric said was specific to not telling anyone. But it was an unspoken agreement that if I did, it wouldn't just be my fellow initiates at the bottom of the chasm. I say nothing, just keep my lips pursed, focusing on calming breaths. It feels as if the room is shrinking inwards with a hazy film going over my eyes.  
Four approaches me, lifting both arms as if he was going to grab on to my arms as I sway. He lets them fall to his side almost instantly. He must of thought differently.

"Whatever he has over you can't be worth this." He starts to look as sick as I feel.

"If you really did understand, you wouldn't be having this conversation. Goodbye Four," I croak.

I keep a steady enough posture, barking instructions at my body to just keep on moving. I leave Four with a currently incapacitated Eric, a fleeting thought goes through my head, wondering if Four will hurt him further. The sight of bubbling blood burns behind my eyelids. I turn a sharp corner, dropping on all fours emptying the contents of my stomach. Sick burns at the back of my throat and nostrils, turning in to dry retching. When I touch my forehead my fingertips come away wet. I rock back on to my heels, so I can tuck my legs underneath me. My arms fall limply at the side, as I try to calm my heart rate down. My heart is slamming in my chest. I lurch forward, sick rising in my throat.

My stomach heaves as a figure takes the hair falling in a blanket around my face, the very ends hovering inches above the floor. I splutter, thankful for the caring touch. I let out a defeated sigh once my stomach has stopped lurching, leaning my back up against the wall. The mystery hand is still clutching my hair, I expect to see Christinas face as I turn but meet Four's. I groan.

"I thought I heard someone puking their guts out," he says with a mocking smile.

"Not funny," I bat away his hand weakly, trying to regain some strength. He retracts his hand smoothly, letting my hair fall to stick against the back of my neck.

"Neither is your breath."

"Shut it," I snap.

He lets out a laugh, sitting down next to me. His face relaxes from what little I can see of it. His whole body relaxes with his laugh. This is the only time I haven't seen him as intimidating.

"Why are you trying to be nice to me?"

"Duty of care." Dauntless, duty of care? I don't think so.

"You really expect me to believe that?" I turn my head to the side, to face him. The corridor is dark and secluded, just as it seems to be everywhere.

"Do you really expect me to let what just happened go?"

"Why were you really there?"

"I told you. I work in the control rooms."

"You weren't..."_ in on it, _I finish in my head. "Never mind."

I can tell he wants to ask me something. Instead, he gets up, lending a hand down to me. I take hold of it, his grip is firm. With a bit of pulling, he manages to get me on my feet. I feel less clammy and hot now, as if someone had dumped a bucket of cold water over my head.

"What state did you leave Eric in?"

"What state he deserved." That's all he says, as he walks away. Every single time I see Four, he confuses me. Goes from looking absolutely pissed, to bored, to kind. I wonder in my head what faction he transferred from, it definitely wasn't Dauntless.

I want to hide here for a while longer, but the smell of sick is starting to get to me. I'm absolutely dreading this afternoon. I need to take a shower. I decide to skimp out on lunch, heading to the dormitories. My heart sinks at the prospect of having the place to myself when Peter, Drew and Molly are in a corner. All six eyes snap up as I walk in. Their synchronicity is disturbing. They're like one entity. I ignore them, grabbing at a towel on my way to the bathroom. I can feel them watching me, like I am prey.

Clicking the lock in to place behind me, I jump in to the shower. It's an uncomfortable thought to have someone walk in on you while you're that exposed. It takes less than 10 minutes to wash my hair and get rid of the tangles that developed earlier. I let my body be washed of Eric, the sight of Four busting his nose flashing in to mind. I give a little smirk. This satisfaction makes me human.

The mirrors in the bathroom have all steamed up, distorting my view. I make out a bruised lip. It looks like someone has punched me. At least that's a better excuse than what I was actually up to. I unlock the door, heading for my bunk to grab clothes. It's the one thing my mind hadn't thought of.

"Ooh look, the Stiff is flashing some skin," Drew jibes. My eyes roll, my back to him.

"I'm not even sure she should even be here, she looks like a child," I hear Peter's voice chime in reply. It's too perky.

They approach like a tag team. I grab forward for the clothes as Peter's hands create a fist in the fabric of the towel.

"How about we have a check?"

I feel the cold rush of air as the towel is whipped away from my skin. I run for the bathroom. I skid on my way, my feet slippery. I curse something my mother and father would drop their jaws at.

Embarrassment flushes at my face. I slam the door behind me, forcing the lock violently across. The flush turns from embarrassment to anger. I grind my teeth as I get my underwear on. The mirror has cleared enough for me to see my form. There are slight curves to my body but they're right. I do have a child's body. I shake my head, their taunts shouldn't mean anything other than Peter and his cronies being cruel. I pull on a black tank top that is much, _much _lower than anything I would ever have worn in Abnegation. If I were back there, none of this would have ever happened. But if I was there, it would of never happened in the first place. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right?

Regardless of chanting that to myself, I wait till their voices are gone before leaving the bathroom. I actually feel in the mood for attacking someone now, if that's a dangerous mind set to be in when you're about to go up against someone I've not been clued in. Adrenaline surges inside my body.

I stride in to the training room as if nothing ever happened today. Christina pulls me to the side, "Where have you been all day?"

"For a walk."

"For someone who walks a lot, you don't seem to be building any muscle."

My eyebrow raises at her. She's noticing _too_ much.  
We all gather in front of the chalkboard to see who were are up against today. I spy out of the corner of my eye Eric sporting a black eye and a busted nose that doesn't look broken. He's watching me, that intent look in his eyes. I pay no attention to him. Four adds the last name on the list, which is mine.

I'm against Molly. A grin takes form on my face, flashing teeth. I see Christina is against Al, Will against Edward. I crack my knuckles and take my space to the side of the room, leaning against the wall. I want it to openly appear that I have no qualms, whereas secretly I'm still needing it for a little support. Al seems to decide that he would rather just take a beating and go down quickly still. He clearly hasn't learned anything. If he wants to be more brave, he's going to have to hit back at some point. Christina only has to take a few shots at him till he allows himself to collapse like a sag of potatoes on the floor.

Will and Edwards fight seems a lot more interesting. Although they are almost matched in height and build, their ability is on totally different levels. Edward knows how to throw a punch whilst still protecting his body. Will doesn't protect his body when he attacks, making it easy for Edward to take him down. I'm next.

I pull away from the wall, moving my head from left to right to stretch the muscles out. I feel a certain four eyes tracking every move. Do they ever just not stare?

I'm feel adrenaline rush through my veins. I take my place opposite Molly, pulling my arms up to block my face. I hear her whisper in a menacing tone, "Was that a birth mark on your left butt cheek?"

The comment distracts me. She lunges a leg out, kicking me in a kidney. My body jolts. Her fist makes contact with my stomach, I let out a winded noise. I blindly hit out and clip the side of her cheek. Bone against bone hurts. I feel myself get hit twice more, she's targeting at my organs.

I kick at her. It hits her knee, making her wail. Her returning kick sending me down on the floor. This time it's not sick I feel rise but blood. I spit it out of my mouth, trying to drag myself off the floor. Molly's foot presses down at my throat, cutting off the air. I scrabble at her foot to try and move it. I grab at her big toe and crack it violently back. She lets out a scream of pain. I think I've broken the bone. It allows me to roll over, clambering up.

I shove myself in to her stomach whilst she pounds fist down at my back. I force her down on the floor to make contact with her cheek, my hips are straddling her stomach whilst her legs thrash out. A knuckle hits in to her brow bone. The fury comes out in me. Her hands are pushing at my chin, forcing my head back. I return the favor of cutting off her air supply by smacking her in the wind pipe. My hands are making connections with her body each time whilst she screams.

"You've won, stop," A voice cuts through the haze. I ignore it.

"Tris, _stop!_" Four reaches down behind me, his hands locked under my shoulders. He hooks me off her and I kick out at her face. It collides with her jaw.  
He has to drag me from the room still kicking. Eric watches with an amused smile. Christina, Will and Al are all cheering in my defense, whooping "Go Tris, Go Tris!"

"Put me _down_, Four!" I spit through gritted teeth.

He pushes the door behind him with a kick of his foot. He drops me down. I stumble, take a steady step and cross my arms. My blood pressure is high, I can feel a familiar thud in my left temple. I wipe the back of my hand against my mouth, streaking red.

"What the hell was that about?!"

"I was fighting."

"That wasn't 'just' fighting. That was personal," Four notes, eyebrows raised at me.

"So what if it was?"

He shakes his head at me, letting out a sigh as the other initiates come out of the training room. I flash him a false smile and weave in between bodies to catch up with the others. I don't turn round. I don't stop. I just stride away, my back bent slightly to compensate for the pain developing in my stomach. Christina slaps me around the back. Will is walking beside her, with Al next to him

"Not bad Tris! Molly is going to wake up with a messed up face tomorrow."

I turn and smile, "I think the same goes for you! Al is going to wake up sore tomorrow."

"Hey!" Al exclaims.

"Sorry but it's true. She kicked your butt," Will joins in.

We all laugh, joy actually spreading across my face. It's good to have friends, to get lost in moments with them. Christina tells me she's decided to go get a tattoo and wonders if I'd like to join her, "even if it's just to sit in the chair whilst she cries like a baby" Will had added jokingly.

I nod and the boys go separate ways to me and Christina. The tattoo parlor is filled with a an array of artistic designs, the buzz of needles in the back. Tori pops her head out and smiles towards me, recognizing my face. I knew she worked somewhere in Dauntless, it made sense with all her tattoo's, more than other Dauntless that she had to work here.

We sit down as a trio and discuss what tattoo's Christina was thinking of getting. It's not until her's has been done that I make the split decision to get one too. After much discussion and Christina's wincing when she pokes the tattoo - only to be scolded by Tori - I get in the chair to have three birds tattooed across my collar bone to symbolize the family I left behind. The needle on my skin distracts from the pain spreading across the insides of my stomach. It feels warm and I hope that it's not internal bleeding.

* * *

Today is considered a half day in the compound. It's met with great delight of the initiates. Thankfully when we go in to the training room today, Eric is absent. It's been a few days since the fight with Molly, in which Four hasn't spoken to me since. Nor looked at me. He announces that today will be the last day of phase one in our training. We've all had a few more fights in the last couple of days including a training session of how to shoot a gun.  
My tattoo is in the healing process, so it is able to be bare. I keep it hidden for the time being as something that is secret out of preference.

I'm against Will today, which my stomach sinks at. I don't like the idea of having to punch a friend in the face. We both look at each other and shrug, there is nothing we can do about it.

I remember that Will is bad with defense. I kick him in the side and get a few upper cuts in. We are pulling at each other, trying to get the each other down on the floor. He punches me in the nose and blood spurts out. A cracking noise sounds through my head. I know by the pain spreading across my face he's broken my nose. I carry on fighting and don't give in. I win the fight in the end, although I am not entirely sure that Will didn't do it on purpose to get away from the blood gushing in to his face. His t-shirt was quickly becoming stained.

Once I leave the middle of the room to sit down, I tip my head back to try and control the bleeding. Christina sits next to me while Will tries to avoid eye contact with me.

"It's okay Will, I'd of done the same to you if I'd got the chance," I laugh. I can see the muscles in his back loosen from their knots.

"It looks broken Tris, maybe you should go get it fixed," Christina says with a worried tone.

Four's voice booms across the room. "Initiates, phase one is finished. The scores will be up tomorrow. You're free to go," his arm stretches out in front of him, pointing towards the door. I stay still with my head tipped back, I fully expect him to leave too. His eyebrow is raised as he walks to the door. He cocks his head round just as he's about to leave saying.

"You should listen to Christina."

* * *

I begrudgingly get up and go to the medical unit within the Dauntless pit. It's the brightest room in the entire place, bare and stinking of bleach. My nose twitches. I sit on a chair, my hands bright red with blood. Some patches are already starting to dry. I'd tried touching my nose only to shriek. I'm called in to a room to the side where Eric sits. I glare at him and he just laughs.

"Who did that?" He asks.

"Will."

"Now we have matching injuries."

"I'm pretty sure you deserved yours," I mumble. He gets up at this point, walking over to me. I shrink back in my chair. He takes my face in his hands and I bite down hard on my lip at his force. My whole face puckers at this, the pain spreads like little sharp knives across my nose bridge.

"Yep, it's broken."

"Well thanks for pointing out the obvi-" A scream bursts from my chest as his fingers grab either side of my nose forcefully snapping the bone back in to place. My eyes are streaming with tears as he steps back. He's grinning at me with pride.

"You enjoyed that," I state, wiping away tears.

He takes a wet cloth, delicately dabbing at my nose. It goes from white to pink to soaked with red. I grit my teeth and comment I didn't think he was a doctor. He quips in that of course we don't have doctors, we aren't the faction for that. He places a few strips of tape that acts as stitches, pressing the broken skin of my nose back together.

"Eric."

"What is it?" He sounds bored.

"Is this..." I wave my hands between us, indicating our situation.

"Is it about Four?" I query him. His eyes twinkle with something menacing.

"Trying to be observant?"

"I think someone punching you in the face for kissing me is pretty obvious."

He laughs at this. His whole upper body shakes with it.

"You made a comment that you came first for once."

"Yes."

"Did Four come first in your initiate class?"

His mouth turns up at one corner while he studies me. I'm only keeping eye contact with him now, I didn't have the confidence to when discussing it at first so busied myself with dabbing my hands clean with the cloth.

"Yes."

"And is this revenge for that?"

"You could say that amongst other things," he flashes me a grin with teeth. He looks like a hungry animal. He leans forward, his arms wrapping around my waist. His body stinks of liquor.  
I shove him away from me. His grip becomes more tight, more like a python. He has a determined look burning in his eyes. I shove again.

"I'm not being a play thing for something so... _pathetic. _It's over Eric. You're throwing out empty threats to make me fearful."

"Are you sure about that?" His right eyebrow arches.

"A hundred percent."

He unwinds his arms away from me, allowing me to leave.

* * *

That night when we are all sleeping, I hear feet creeping out of a bed. Something as quiet as a whisper forms across the room. A scream shrieks through out the dormitory. I yank myself away from the bed sheets and run to the noise, a lump forming in my throat.

My feet stick in to something wet.

"Turn the lights on!" I scream as I drop to the floor.

In the dark I can't make out who it is. Light flickers from above us. It's blinking, inconsistent.

It gives enough so that I can see my knees in a pool of Edward's blood. He's in front of me with a knife in his eye. He's screaming louder, trying to pull at the knife. I bat away his hands telling him that will make it worse.

He gurgles out it hurts. I try and soothe him while Myra takes his hand. I scream at Al to get someone, all the transfer Dauntless in the room stand still. Peter and Drew are the only ones appearing to be missing. I snap them out of their stillness, shouting orders at them. The Abnegation in me is spilling out. The dread in my stomach is confirmed when Eric appears in the door way, Al inches behind him. Eric's gaze is direct on me.

I did this. I gulp.

* * *

**So what did you think? Did you like the mixture of FourxTris and EricxTris? :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**Here we go! This chapter is certainly another interesting one - more FourxTris and a very raising eyebrow EricxTris. I'm so thankful to hear from you all, I do read every review!**

**Note: I do not own these characters or the world/novel Divergent by Veronica Roth**.

* * *

Myra is hysterical as a group of Dauntless haul Edward out of the room. I can feel the blood starting to dry in small patches on my skin. Christina brushes past everyone to place a hand on my shoulder to pull me away.

"Get paper towels," I bark, forcing my shoulder out of her grip.

"Not before we get you cleaned up Tris, you look like a mess," she pulls at me more vigorously, not giving in. I go to the bathroom with her my mind on other matters. I mutter answers to certain questions, on auto pilot mode.

"Was it broken in the end?"

"Yeah," I grab the towel to dry my hands.

"He's sorry you know." Christina chews the side of her lip, brushing hair from her face. She likes Will, feels the need to apologize for him.

"He needn't be," there is no tone to my voice. It's just numb. Numb all over. Christina sits beside me as we clean the floor from Edward's blood. Peter and Drew sunk back in, claiming they were hanging out by the chasm. All eyes are on them as they return to their bunks, sleeping peacefully. There's something seriously sadistic about it. I know in my heart deep down, they committed this awful act on Edward. I have the confirmation from previous events they will both do anything to be Dauntless. They're not above doing the dirty work for Eric. All I keep playing back in my head is his eyes on me, his face blank of emotions.

I'd thought that it really could just be empty promises. Bully and blackmail the Abnegation girl, she won't question it. I've only been here a short time and my entire out look on everything has been transformed. I am not a weakling.

Our sleep is very disrupted. I'm still awake when noises bustle in to the room. I whip out of the bunk, fully prepared for another attack. My veins throb inside my body, becoming intensely alert. I can't make the figures out in the room until the blinking light turns on for the second time.

"Initiates," Eric's voice sounds in to every corner. "Regardless of tonight's events, get up, get ready and meet us in the Pit in 5 minutes." I spot Four next to him, clicking his tongue against his teeth. They both stalk out of the room, leaving us all bumbling for clothes and shoes. I slept in the clothes from last night so only have to tug a jacket on and fit my feet in to some heavy duty boots. My body aches, a slump taking form to my posture. We all make it just in time, following both Eric and Four to the train tracks.

"Jumping time," Eric declares. He runs for the tracks, pulling himself in. Following after them, there is a lot of grunts as we collide with the hard wooden flooring. We meet Lauren and the Dauntless born initiates already camped out inside. A Dauntless born initiate pipes up and asks the all important question we are thinking.

"Where are we going?"

"Final stage of phase one. A game of capture the flag," Four's voice sounds very restrained. He's watching the landscapes that rush by us, wind flipping his hair about.

"Team time," Eric declares. "Peter, get over here."

Confirmation.

"Your turn," He offers.

"Tris."

A flash goes between their eyes, like they're going to start a stand off. I shrink my shoulders in, feeling very defensive of myself suddenly. I don't like being a possession that's fought over.

"Drew."

"Will."

"Al."

They continue until there is no one left. Eric quips in that Four has chosen a losing team that Eric was going to collect first again this year. I'm surprised Lauren wasn't choosing, she just willingly let Eric become leader. They have an unfair advantage over us if they have more experienced help.

It comes to jumping out of the train, when Christina offers a hand. I take it, jumping together. We land perfectly, laughing. Our hair whips around us, sending goose bumps running across my arms in the jacket. It's colder than I would have expected for the early hours of the morning. I'm not even sure what time it is but darkness is still painting the sky. A few stars twinkle down at us.

We head after Four as both groups split up. He starts talking saying we need to work as a team to start a strategy. Everyone seems to argue, a few people turning off to go hunt down Eric and Lauren's team.

I look around my surroundings, seeing a carousel that no longer runs. I walk away from the crowd, there is no point standing around doing nothing. I start to climb, winding myself up on horse, grabbing on to the rail. I grab on to a metal above me, giving it a pull. It seems to with stand my weight.

"Tris?"

"Uh-huh?" I don't look behind me, only jump and pull myself up. I begin winding through the bars, trying to reach the top of the carousel. It has a building to the side of it, a distance up. If I can climb up there and jump, I will have the advantage of height. Perhaps I will be able to spot where Eric's group is.

"You're not really intending on climbing up there are you?" His voice is tight.

"Do you have a problem with that?"

"No. As long as you don't find it a problem I come with you."

We spend time climbing, swinging and grabbing. The higher we climb, the more the metal shakes in the harsh winds. Four mutters something underneath me. I catch the word "crazy."

We reach the top of the carousel, I wait for Four to get up before we head for the ladder rungs.  
The air is thinner up here. My foot slips on one of the rungs but I manage to regain my footing. When we reach the very top of the ladder, level with the roof, I need to twist myself around on the ladder. I have to lean in to the roof, hands gripping the rungs and jump. My hands catch on the very edge, feet digging in to brick. Four jumps and smoothly eases himself up on to the roof's surface. His hand locks around my wrist, pulling my body weight up. I catch a breath I wasn't aware I was holding and thank him.

We sit a distance from the edge, wary of how far we would fall if we were acting like idiots.  
I fold my legs, resting my elbows in front of me, cupping my chin in my palms. I can feel him watching me.

"Why did you come up here Four?"

"Couldn't very easily be responsible for you falling to your death."

I stay silent. I carry on pondering.

"You see that?" I have a thrill to my voice. There are bodies moving in a patch of trees far away. They look like darkened blobs.

"That's really quite clever, Tris." The way he says my name is drawn out, softer. It brings a smile to my face. I turn my head away to hide it.

"It seemed to make sense from up here, we'd be able to see their position. We just have to wait for obvious signs of camp, then capture their flag," I'm gleeful. We sit and watch, observing for a few minutes.

"Can I ask you a question?

"Sure."

I turn my head to face him. His hair is ruffled, his face tight like his voice.

"Are you okay?"

"I don't know." My face crumples, a frown taking form. I swallow hard.

"I take that as a no," he sighs, the breath elongated. He edges next to me, his brow furrowing.

His hand reaches out to tuck a lock of hair behind my ear. It's completely different to Eric's movements, without a menacing look in his eye. Four looks at me with a gentle but complex look.

"Tris," is all he whispers. His forehead presses against mine, his breaths short. He smells like salt and lemons. I feel myself relax, my body shaking with a tremor.  
We stay in this position for a while, him mumbling my name to me, over and over in a soothing way. He's not dumb, he has put two and two together with Edward and Eric. I'm thankful that somebody at least knows it wasn't just Peter being sadistic.

I see a glimpse of light in the very distance out of the corner of my eye. I turn and point in the direction of it.

"Four, look!"

We both look out in to the distance, grinning. There is the tell tale signs of a fire in a group of trees. I get up, dusting myself down.

"C'mon, it's time to kick their butt," I have such determination in my voice.

The jump on to the ladder makes it wobble and Four lets out a groan above me.

"Are you okay?"

"It's the.. the height." His voice is wracked with stress and panic. I guide him down, telling him to take calming breaths. It does seem more scary going down and seeing the impending ground rising up to you but I don't let him know this. I was surprised to see him actually suffering with a fear. He seemed so... strong most of the time.

When he's on the ground, his hands rest on his knees as he catches his breath. I run ahead and tell the rest of our team what our plan is. We split in to two different teams, rushing off together.  
We split at the bridge so that when Eric's team crosses it, we can attack them with the paintball guns we had been given earlier. Four, Christina, Will and I split away from them to sneak past them. Our shoes tred in mud, sticking. It makes a squelching noise which is unpleasant. The noise of shrieks and rounds of paint balls releases. The onslaught we have planned it taking place. The four of us surge forward, sneaking past their failing defenses. They hadn't even left one initiate.

The flag is in sight, adrenaline burning like fire in my body. I can feel the thrill that is is to be Dauntless for truly the first time in days. We laugh as we get to the flag site. Christina rushes forward and grabs the flag. I skid in the ground. I had the presumption that I'd be able to take it as I found their whereabouts. Four purses his lips but says nothing.

Christina lets out a whoop. "I got it!"

"I thought -" I butt in.

"Tris, you can't have all the credit!" The wind makes her face distorted with the hair that viciously hits at it over and over. I wish I was the wind right now.

She jumps up and down cheering. The rest of our team comes to meet us, taking her up under her legs to raise her in to the air on their shoulders. My eyes narrow momentarily. I can't have it all.

Eric's team looks so glum. Disappointment and anger in so evident in their postures. We all start to make our way back to the train, the other initiates putting Christina down when the run for the train starts. It's easier this time, my legs have adjusted from the sleepy haze they had been in. I don't injure myself as I roll in to the train.

The sky is now streaking with orange, pink and red. I can smell the grass as we whip by landscapes. The early morning dawn is beautiful. Blurred, magical. Both corners of my mouth rise, trying to take in the moment. I ignore the conversation of Edward and Myra behind me. I tune it out, jumping from the train when we need to. The slow walk to the Dauntless compound starts to show sluggishness in some. Eric's posture screams menace.

It's declared that today is another day off. It's now officially over for phase one, that they will take account of tonight as the very last thing. Four suggest that we spend time training, building our bodies up. Or resting. He says it doesn't matter what happens but to use the time wisely as phase two is much harder than phase one.

I don't feel much like sleeping. I can sleep later today. I just want to feel alive. The initiates surge in to the pit, going off in different directions. I linger, unsure of what I want to do. I am at a cross roads.

"Could I speak to you in my office?" Eric's voice quips in behind me. Four raises an eyebrow at him. We are standing in a trio, Four's body puffing up in defense. It's nice of him, nice to have someone worry for me.

"I don't think she needs to."

"I think you need to stay out of this," his voice is gritted. It comes out in a vile grunt.

Four grabs at Eric's shoulders, shoving him in to a wall. His face is flushed with red.

"This isn't a game we play with initiates. If you want something -"

"Oh I want something but it certainly isn't you, Four." Eric's eyes pierce mine, eyes flicking up my body. It makes my skin crawl.

Four peels him away from the wall to slam him against it, hard. Eric's jaw locks at he shoves Four back so much they're both in a crouched position, looking like tigers about to pounce.

"Don't forget who's your boss."

Four straightens his back, exhaling. He comes over to me to place a hand on my shoulder to direct me away from Eric.

"Leave her." Eric isn't requesting, he's demanding.

I mouth that I'm sorry to Four, then break my eye contact, staring down at my feet. He sighs and walks away. The pain that was in his face makes my chest physically ache. I feel that burning in my lungs again and it's certainly not down to the run. Eric's hand places at the small of my back, guiding in to his office.

I almost feel glad for it. I can confront him now. I wait till the door's locked till I scream at him.

"You did that to Edward, didn't you?!"

"I did warn you, Tris." He approaches me, so I distance ourselves with a chair between the both of us.

"I didn't think you'd actually follow through!" My voice cracks and the tears start to blur my eyes. I feel the release of emotion finally release from my body. My body wracks with shaking sobs.

"I don't believe in 'empty threats.'" is all he states as the chair is scraped to the side. I hit out at his chest, fists pounding against cords of muscle.

His arms lock around my body, creating a cage. I continue to cry out in anger, my hands turning from clenched fists to fingers digging in to fabric. My lip wobbles, eyes streaming as the rage begins to ebb from my body.

"Come with me," is all he says. I wipe the tears from my eyes as he guides his way out of the office, towards the Pit. He says that I need to keep a distance from him, to make it not seem suspicious. I have to climb a ladder in the process, seeing him disappear in to an apartment. I wait five minutes against a wall, before having the confidence to go knock on the door. I had to compose myself, showing my fear and anger in front of Eric only gave him more ammunition to use against me in the future if my reaction comes out like this. I cannot help it, I just think of how Edward will be blind forever in one eye.

Eric quickly pulls me in, sticking his head outside the door, surveying the corridor. I look around the apartment, seeing plain wooden furniture covered in all sorts of things. Books, papers, odd decorations that I wouldn't place for Eric to own. There's a kitchen to one side, stocked with food on all the different counters. His voice cuts through my analysis of his 'home.' It feels weird to be in a place Eric considers to be home.

"Are there cameras in here?" I ask coldly.

"There is. Only because I'm a Dauntless leader, so if anyone needed me, they could track me at any time in case of an emergency," he says it like people ask it of him all the time. His back is turned to me as he gets two glasses pouring a dark brown liquid in to both. I tentatively sniff it as he passes it to me. I reel back, my nose crinkling. It smells exactly like Eric.

"Why do you want to do this to him so badly? Can't you just leave the past in the past?"

"No."

"What is it?" I look down to the glass now in my hand.

"Scotch. Drink up," his fingertips touch the bottom of the glass, tipping it towards my mouth. I take a gulp of it, it slides down with a warm sensation creeping along my throat. I swallow hard after, drinking the contents of the glass in mere seconds. I let out a cough. Eric pours another glass for the both of us, I take it from him, knocking it back. Liquor doesn't taste nice, I've decided. Or at least the liquor that Eric likes to drink.

He drinks his more slowly than mine. My body is tingling, something I've never really experienced. The fuzziness goes from my toes, to my fingertips. Spreading through out my stomach, a tickling up and down my throat. Eric pours a third glass, I take it down with two large gulps. The scotch makes my emotions dull of Edward, of Christina taking the win, of Four up on the roof. My body feels light, my head rolling backwards. Eric takes the glass away from my hand, placing down his own on a coffee table. The tingling intensifies in my body.

Eric's hands lightly lock around my wrist, guiding me to a large sofa. He sits down, pulling me on top of him. My legs are either side of his body. I support myself by placing my hands on the very back of the sofa.

"How do you feel Tris?"

"Numb," I slur. I giggle, my head falling forwards. I feel a mouth at my neck, trailing kisses. I feel his hands on a body that is mine but isn't.

I move to rest my head against his, removing a hand from the sofa to stroke the back of his head. His hands curl around my chin, pulling my mouth to his. My lips part, a sigh escaping. My mind is a haze of happiness, eyes closed, giving in to the feeling. I now understand why the Dauntless enjoy drinking in social situations. Who wouldn't when it feels this great?

I push my lips hard against his, matching his force. Lips parting to his, deepening the kiss. Hands are skimming against my shoulder, moving my t-shirt to the side.

"I didn't know you had a tattoo," he observes.

"Shut up and just kiss me, Four," my voice comes out with a moan at him, bringing his face back to mine. I feel his body become rigid for a second, the corners of his mouth turning up. My tongue grazes his. I hear a groan reside in his chest and I giggle again. I haven't felt this light and care free in such a long time.

The hem of my t-shirt rises, cold air making my stomach suck in. I don't bat away his hands, only move my arms to slide the fabric off over my head. I toss it to the side, my face burying in the side of his neck. My mouth meets his momentarily, fingers skimming the bare skin of my shoulders. Kisses are placed on each bird of my tattoo, along the very top edge of my bra.

The tingle of his fingers on my bare skin sends goosebumps throughout my skin. I'm feeling heady, a sweet light shining in front of me. It feels warm, like a ray of sunshine on my back.

The fingers are winding in my hair as my head rolls to the side, darkness spreading from the corners of the light. I moan, I don't want to be taken over by it. I want to stay here, be in this moment. Be with Four. I can't fight it off.

It engulfs me as my body becomes limp against his.

* * *

**Poor drunken Tris. Eric however, plays a good game does he not? Look forward to hearing from you - I will try and update in the next day or so! **


	6. Chapter 6

**This is a slightly smaller chapter, I've been writing some alternative/extended scenes for some of these chapters - if you guys might like to read them at some point I will put them up :) (Eric's scene here with Tris was one!) We're back to drunken Tris now, I did feel sorry for her writing this!**

Note: I do not own any of these characters of the world/novels created by Veronica Roth.

* * *

My mind is drifting in and out, I wake to find myself laying down on the sofa. I whisper out "Four," in a croaky voice. I feel the pressure of lips against mine.

"I'm here," is all he says. I sigh, returning in to the haze that keeps taking me away.

My eyes open to find myself staring at the floor, my body supported over someone's shoulder. Four? My stomach lurches, the floor is spinning underneath me. Colors mix together and I squeeze my eyes shut. I don't protest when the blackness starts in again.

A thud. A soft thud. Against a mattress, my head bouncing. I giggle, the soft bed like a fluffy cloud surrounding me. My hands claw in to the fabric of the duvet as I feel a trail of kisses along my stomach. My back arches, biting down hard on my lip. My eyes are shut tight, the motion making the pain in my nose return. I had almost forgotten about it.

My mind is becoming dark spots, weaving in and out. He whispers in my ear, I can't make the words out. Another dark spot. My trousers are slid from my legs, kisses on my thighs. I can hear whimpers come from my throat. I try to resist the darkness. It doesn't work.

I try to squint against the bright lights above me. My head is starting to pound, my head being used as a drum kit. My body is pinned down at the waist, I groan and bat at the body.  
My hand is taken roughly, yanking it above my head.

"That hurts!" I thrash against the bed, the heels of my feet making a repetitive contact at the foot of the bed. There's a clicking sound and my thrashing slows down. I fall in to darkness. It's like a well, being pushed down it further and further.

My body twitches, drenched in sweat. I go to rub my face awake, feeling like I've been hit by a train. My throat is sore, pain spreads across my nose and nausea is making every movement hard. My arm pulls to my face, cutting in to metal. I pull the other hand, finding the same reaction. My body becomes alert and a shriek comes when I finally look up. Both of my hands are constricted in hand cuffs, locked against railings of a bed. I pull, yank, tug and scream until I have no more energy. The metal has sliced at my skin, blood trailing down my arms.

I can feel the panic rising and try to recollect myself. Where am I? What is the last thing I remember? Four and Eric fighting. Eric's office.

The brown liquid. I bite my lip in anger, I realize what I'm feeling now is a hangover. I've heard how it feels, just never experienced it. I didn't know the strength of liquor Eric was giving me.

Eric.  
Four.  
What has happened in that space of time? My mind draws a blank, parts of my memory patchy.

My surroundings are very plain. A double bed, brown wood at the end of my feet. A wardrobe, a chest of drawers and a faux plant. There is a chair placed at the foot of the bed, totally out of place. I try to scream in frustration but nothing comes out. My voice is worn.

Am I in Four's apartment? But why would Four lock me up?

I lay and wait, trying to force my hand from the handcuffs. I really do not want to break my thumbs to be able to get out of this. I tell myself to wait. I close my eyes, trying to get a rhythm to my breath. Inhale and exhale.

The door creaks open, a figure sliding in. Eric. But... I thrash again, a mean laugh coming from him.

"Please be my guest and continue trying," he sits down on the chair, hands resting on a knee.

His eyes flicker up my body. I look down, my eyes turning to saucers. I twist trying to give myself my modesty. I'm so fuzzy minded that I hadn't even realized how exposed I was, in just my underwear.

"What did you do?" I try to breathe evenly, my voice tense.

"Nothing that you didn't want Four to do to you," his voice is syrupy sweet. Laced with sugary poison.

This silences me. I just look at him blankly.

"What did you just say?" I speak through gritted teeth.  
He gets up, walking right up to the bed. He lowers his head for his lips to brush my ear.

"Not what I said, what you did. You seemed to be calling out to him a lot," he whispers to me. Anger takes form and I smack my head in to his. I swear at him, getting a finger pointed in my face.

"I'd watch what you're doing. Maybe next time I won't be so kind to not kill one of your friends."

"If that's your mission with me, just do it now!" I scream at him, he keeps himself a safe enough distance away from face.

"That's not what I want." He returns to the chair, putting his feet up on the bed. We just look at each other for a while. He looks bored.

He returns to leaning over me, his presence looming. His face is bleeding again, satisfaction coursing through my body. At least the extra head pain I am now experiencing was worth it.

"Have you ever heard of the word Divergent?" He breaks the silence. His head is cocked, watching me closely. An eyebrow raises when I answer.

"No."

"I don't think that's the truth."

"Well it is," I spit. My heart rate is starting to climb, Tori's warning ringing inside my head.

"See, I think that it's rather suspicious your behavior. You're selfless, take knives for somebody else."

"Faction before blood, Eric. You taught us that."

"That doesn't apply in the case if you have a divergence and you know it."

"I don't know what you're even talking about." I pull at the handcuffs, exhausted.

"It would be a lot easier if you were just honest. You're making this harder for yourself."

"You do all of this, on camera. And you think that your boss' won't see it? Won't see what you're doing?"

"They're in on it," he whispers. My face drops, not able to process the information. Was this what Tori meant by being Divergent was so dangerous?

"You're sick."

"Thank you," he sounds delighted with himself.

"I'm not whatever you just said," I babble. Act stupid.

"You play a good game Tris but not good enough. We will just have to wait and see."

He starts to walk away, I panic. I scream at him that he can't just leave me here. He doesn't turn around, simply just walks out not even turning around to respond to me. Tears fall from my eyes and I can't help them. I let myself give in to the emotions, laying there for some time just pitying myself.

I brace myself when I'm calm, repeating that I can do this. I can do it. The sickening motion of pushing my thumb against the metal makes sick rise in my throat. I try to muffle the cry but am able to pull my hands out without breaking my thumbs. It's sore. I'm thankful for a dainty figure.

My eyes prick with tears, I've become more battered in the last day or so than I have ever been. I squeal when I pull at a draw of Eric's quietly to get a long shirt out of it, not sure where my clothes are. I try to fumble with the buttons, only managing a few which are wonky and in the wrong button holes at best.

I try to be as quiet as possible, listening at the door to see if I can hear him in the apartment. I stand against the wood, ear pressed to it till I'm absolutely sure he is no longer in there. I slip out, running for the door. I find my trousers on the way and slide them up over. I hunt for my t-shirt but can't find it.

I bite in to my lip when I have to turn the door handles, having to cup them in my palms. I must look a mess. I worry more for running in to someone than I do of Eric. My body is shaking, barely keeping me up. The headache just continues to progressively get worse.

Keep it together Tris. I stride forwards like nothing has happened. I don't care that Eric will come back to an empty bed. I don't care about anything right now this second. I just stride forward, shoulders back. I make it to the training room, kicking bags for some time. I get all my aggression out. My hair is sticking to my face, I feel hot and sweaty.

Al slips in to the room, giving me a smile.

"You're really improving," he notes.

"Thanks."

I see his eyes go to my wrists and the bleeding. He doesn't ask what happened. He's polite in that sense, he doesn't seem like he fits in to Dauntless because of this. He's risking his position in the faction just because he doesn't want to fight.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." I'm snippy, not fine.

We stay making conversation that seems to just be small chat. Al places a hand on my shoulder and I flinch away from him. The rejection flashes across his face. It would have been kinder to just have slapped him. I weave myself through the bags, running from him. I just want normality. Is that too much to ask?

Christina and I sit in the dormitories, legs swinging off her top bunk. She sits and talks to me about Will, babbling on. We discuss tattoos that she wants to get in the future. She talks of swirling designs, her fingers tracing the air.  
Other initiates slowly start filtering in, grouping together for the night. Four walks in with a chalkboard, showing the blank side to us all. His voice chirps up, calling us all to see our scores.

He announces at this point that Edward and Myra have left the initiation period, making them factionless. Due to these changes, names have been moved and bumped. Peter comes first. Edward must have been above him as there is a faint dusting behind Peters name, almost as if something has been rubbed out recently. I come 6th. It isn't too bad. Molly is below me and looks lethal as she clocks me from the opposite side of the room. It looks like she wants to wage personal war with me too now. Christina, Will and Al make it above the cut. I'm thankful, I didn't want to say goodbye to them just yet.

I've pushed it out of my mind the last few days and am reminded by Christina that it is visitors day tomorrow. I have been dreading this ever since I saw my fathers face at the choosing ceremony. My mother looked less annoyed at me for my choice, almost proud. I would like to think that they wouldn't ignore me and never want to see me again but I have no hopes at all for this. It's just building us all up for major heartbreak when our parents or brothers and sisters don't turn up.

I won't get the opportunity to see Caleb tomorrow. It feels so strange that the last time I saw him, he shocked me to my core. I really should have known sooner though, he would always be correcting me. Reading books, more than just for school. I'm happy for him that he is living a life that he wants to. Unless he has been blackmailed in to something like I have. I really hope that he just lives through his initiation and is safe. The warnings of the factionless as a child is enough to scare someone to not sleep for years. The hunger, the loss. The emptiness inside.

Peter seems delighted by coming first. I watch him carefully, acting like a hawk. I wish I could swoop down and peck his face.

We all seem to go to sleep pretty early. For me, I'm exhausted, my body, mind and nursing a hangover makes me go in to such a deep sleep I wouldn't be aware if anyone was crying in fear for tomorrow. I was certainly doing that in my dreams, it was unpleasant rejection. A twinge comes to my chest for Al when I reflect on the dreams of last night. I'm laying, staring in to the wooden racks of the bunk above me, counting them this morning. I don't want to get out of bed. I'm only lured because Christina says we are awake early enough that we can go shopping. It seems to make her happy.

She grabs dresses and chucks them at me, pushing me in to the changing room. They're much more fitted than normal, the interest in dresses never really happened. They're all black, with different embellishments and neck lines. One comes to mid thigh with a squared off neckline, small beads adorning it. It brings a smile to my face. I walk out to show Christina and she makes a wolf noise, whistling.

"You look wonderful!" She pulls me over with a grin, telling me to trust her. She lines my eyes with a black pencil, smudging it lightly under my eye. She fluffs my hair, spinning me round to look in the mirror. I'm surprised by how different I look. My face is striking, the eyeliner making them really stand out. The dress completely transforms my figure.

"Wow," is all I say. I give her a huge hug. She's bought herself an A symmetrical dress which shows her strong figure. It's so surprising to see how both of our bodies have transformed, grown muscle. I glance down at my wrists to see that they are now simply just faint red lines, healing well.

We head up in to the Pit, seeing families standing awkwardly like they are about to stabbed. I don't blame them for their worries. Christina runs up to a group of people, embracing them with a hug. I give her a smile, happy for her to be with her family even for an afternoon. I linger, hands wrapped around my body.

I spot out of the corner of my eye, my mother. The surprise makes me blink a few times just to make sure that she isn't some fabrication of my mind. She remains there.

"Beatrice," she smiles at me. Her presence is so warming. I want to hug her so badly. I resolve for a quick hug and retract. She stands stiffly, patting me on the back.

"It's Tris now."

"That's lovely. How is initiation going?"

"Okay. We can't really talk about it."

"I'm so sorry your father couldn't be here."

"Does he really hate my choice that much?"

"It's not so much that. He does love you. It's just getting tough between factions."

"Are you going to see Caleb?"

"I can't. Abnegation and Erudite have too much friction at the moment. They aren't allowing us to."

I sigh, I feel sorry and pity for my brother. He will think that no one loves him.

"Be- Tris. I need to speak to you about something," she pulls me away from the pit and down a few corridors. It's empty, quiet. I wonder how she knows where to go.

Once we are alone, she pulls me close, her head dipping down.

"I need you to listen to me. Phase two is going to test you in ways that you didn't think possible. And you need to be so careful and so smart about it. It's not safe to be a -" she leans in and whispers "Divergent," in to my ear. My eyes must be turning to saucers again as my mother just smiles at me with sadness.

"I need you to be safe."

"I think they might already suspect me. I -"

She grabs on to my arms in urgency. "Then you need to be aware of everything you say and do. It's dangerous. You cannot speak to anyone about this, do you hear me? Trust no one. When you can, you need to go see your brother and get him to research the serum they use for simulations." Her voice is thick with authority.

"Okay," I say numbly.

"I'll be proud of you no matter what," she says. It's the last thing she says to me in that corridor.

We return to the Pit where we end up talking to the families of other initiates. There is some grievance between Will's sister and my mother, I bite my lip until the point of Will's sister saying something particularly rude.

"I'd be careful, or I'll punch you in the face," it comes out stone cold.

"We will be having none of that," my mother tugs me away from them, towards the chasm. A group of Dauntless members stand and drink, I cringe. I'm telling my mother things to tide the time away, with out giving too much away. I don't discuss Eric, I don't discuss my broken nose. Four appears out of the crowd, walking over.

"This is my instructor, Four," I announce to her with a stiff smile.

"Your daughter is exceptionally talented," he states. He discusses with her how I've progressed and I tune out. It's soon after this the visitors are required to leave, so my mother gives me a pat on the back and swiftly goes. She walks like she's not lost, that this place is like a second home.

In this moment I realize that my mother was from Dauntless.

Christina, Al, Will and I decide that we want to go for food, hungry after god knows how many hours I haven't eaten properly. I didn't spot Eric at all today which gave me some relief.

Before we go, Four breaks away from his group of friends, walking over to me. My friends are a distance away so can't hear what he is saying.

"You look good, Tris," his voice has a slight slur to it.

"Thank you. It seems your having a good time of it," I nod to the bottle in his hand.

"You're not really meant to see me like this."

"Drunk?"

"Human."

"I think it's too late for that, don't you?" I ask. His eyes flash with something bright. Happiness? Joy?

"I saw - I saw what happened," his voice is more rushed.

"_Again?!" _I try to not let my voice raise too high.

"Not all of it. I stopped after -"

"Well I hardly remember any of it. The powers of that," I point to his bottle. His brow furrows. He's about to speak again when Al runs up to me, throwing me over his shoulder. I shriek out at him, laughing against his chest. I don't wave goodbye to Four, just give him a smile. He stands there watching me go.

Will asks to my side "What was that all about?"

"He was just saying how my mother seemed nice is all," I lie. Al adds jumps to his step, making me spring in to the air and down on his shoulder. I laugh as he carries me the entire way to the food hall.

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**I'm so thankful for all the follows, favorites and reviews. I can't believe I'm 11 reviews off of 50! Maybe by the weekend that is a possible goal so I look forward to hearing from you :) Would be interesting to see if there is an interest in the extra scenes - it's more when there is FourxTris and EricxTris moments, I'll be honest! So some is slightly more smut filled.**

Till next time!


	7. Chapter 7

**I promised I'd have a chapter up tonight so tada! :) I also have created another story for the extras of this. The scene from the end of chapter 5/start of 6 is there in more extended version if anyone wants to read it. I've really enjoyed doing this so far - I've checked the stats recently and seen it's gone over 2,000 views so can't thank you enough! Even those of you who just read it and don't comment/follow I am thankful for you as well. Giving the love around today!**

Note: I do not own these characters or the world/novels by Veronica Roth.

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The affects of the alcohol wear off after a day. I had a very broken nights sleep, tossing and turning. My mind kept showing me disjointed images that I couldn't place together to make a fluid time line of events. Just a face hazing in and out, backs arching. I sit up out of breath when these dreams jolt me awake. But if they are really memories that my subconscious is creating, I'm not aware of where they are from. I think I'll be staying away from any liquor that is offered to me in the future, it seems that once you drink it you're just playing with fire. Except the fire burns scorching hot and you're going to get burned no matter what.

My body aches in places I didn't even know it could. My nose looks less swollen today, slowly healing. It's still a ghastly sight to see in the mirror but I can handle it. It was the first bone I have ever broken, I'm just thankful it wasn't a leg. Or that I had to break my own thumbs.

Peter seems to stalk around the dormitories with such pride. If I make it past initiation, a home - even if I were to share with Christina - would be much better than having to be in the same room as him. There's just a cloud of darkness that follows him where ever he seems to step.

Every one seems to be a rack of nerves. Even Uriah, a Dauntless born who I met in the corridor waiting for our names to be called is scared. This is now the unknown, how can you mentally prepare for something that you don't know a) what is going to test you and b) what will happen? We know that there is a simulation and you must work through it. The time is takes goes in to your scores. My mothers warning floats around my head, dizzying me. I know this has something to do with being a Divergent but I can't keep myself safe when I don't know the threat. I know Eric is a threat, what he could do to me. Or what he has done to me. I still don't know how I ended up in the handcuffs. Was there more than just liquor in those glasses? My suspicions run high.

We are all sitting here in this grey corridor, sat on hard black chairs. Some are twiddling their thumbs, curling pieces of their hair, scratching at their heads. The nerves are rife in the air. I sit with my legs crossed over one another.

They call Uriahs name and his feet scuffle against the floor. I focus on a spot on the wall, I try to spend the available time probing in to mind. I don't know how you're meant to improve a memory when it's completely blank. I have no idea what Four was going to say to me last night. He wasn't as intoxicated as I had been. Or apparently had been. I remember the handcuffs and talking to Eric but the specifics were just hard. It was like trying to remember being a baby, something that is impossible to. Then your mind created false memories to compensate for the stories people would tell you. They're not real.

I hear Four call my name. I push myself up off the chair and follow him down the long corridor. It turns to a harsh left, a red door right in front of me. It looks out of place for somewhere there seems to be only dark colors. He turns the handle, ushering me in. There's a chair inside, dentist like. I lay down upon it, my head supported by the rest behind my neck. I look over to him as he sits in a chair, taking a needle out of the box.

"I'm just going to put this in your neck," he informs me. His hand gently moves the hair away from my shoulder. He takes an antibacterial wipe, dabbing at my shoulder. The needle goes in. My feet shoot up in the chair not preparing for how much it stings.

"Next I place the electrodes on," Four's speaking like he's done this speech a thousand times. He places them around my face, turning to his computer.

"Once the serum starts working, the only way you will get out of it is by facing your fear or slowing your heart beat down." His finger lingers above a button. He purses his lips and turns to me. He is hesitant, like he shouldn't be talking to me.

"Be brave, Tris."

The room disappears and I'm placed in a field. There's a crow digging in to my shoulder. I flick my hand out, trying to scare it off. It squawks and digs it's claws in to the flesh of my shoulder. I try to move but I am stuck. I can feel the panic rise in my chest as more crows start to fly down at me. There is a swarm of them impending down on me, their beaks snapping. I try to think rationally. Why would I be afraid of crows? I have no idea.

They start tearing at my flesh and I scream. I grind my teeth and force myself down on the floor in to a ball to try and protect my face. I place my fist in my mouth, screaming in to it.

C'mon Tris. You can do this.

I dig at the ground as blood starts trickling down my arms, neck and face. One starts twisting and pulling at my hair. I imagine a gun, clawing at the mud. I can feel the hard metal as I yank it out of the ground. I try to remember Four's teachings on guns and aim it over my shoulder. I pull the trigger and the bang deafens me. It knocks the crow from my shoulder. I wildly shoot, screaming in anguish and pain. I know it's just a simulation, I can get through this.

My body lurches me forward, gasping for breath. I feel covered in sweat, still screaming. A hand clamps on my shoulder. I try wildly and slap at it. I see Four's face and relax. My hand is entwined with his.

"That was horrid - I felt like I was there for hours. Just scratching at me." I look down at my skin to see if I've got the marks on my bare flesh. Christina had encouraged me to wear the dress from visitors day as there would be no exertion. Thankfully my arm is clean for marks except the odd bruise from training.

"Tris, do you know how long you were in there?"

"I don't know. I don't think I did very well."

"Three minutes. That's more than just impressive. In fact very improbable."

My stomach tightens. I'm not following with what my Mother told me. How can I keep myself safe? Linger there having them attack me? But then how am I meant to know how long I'm in there for? The word Divergent just keeps flashing in my head over and over.

I wipe at my face, taking the beads of sweat off my forehead. I'm still shaking. Four enters something in to the computer and gets up.

"I'll take you back to the dorms."

"I don't need you to."

"I'm not taking no for an answer." He looks at me with a worried gaze like I'm fine china in the hands of someone who is accident prone.

I don't tell him that I don't want to go out there as I'm afraid of us being together alone. I'm afraid of what he wants to say to me out of being my instructor. He knows more about what I did than I do. It scares me. It scares me the power Eric could hurt him with.

He takes me out a back door, guiding me down a few secret corridors.

"Do you do this for everyone?"

"No." His voice sounds tight and he doesn't look at me. I frown at him, wondering what I have done.

"Why do you sound so put out by it then?"

He just continues walking.

"Have I hurt you?" My voice comes out hushed. He stops, his back to me. He doesn't turn, just sighs deeply.

"Not intentionally."

"I just don't understand. You won't acknowledge me, at all."

His fingers curl in to a fist as he spins around. His eyes look moist, he blinks hard.

"You honestly don't remember anything from that night?" His voice sounds angry.

"I don't! Do you remember anything from last night?"

"That's different."

"It isn't! It's the same damn thing. You either tell me or I'll find another way."

"It isn't. If I tell you, it is just going to hurt you more than you think."

I raise my voice at him, annoyed for his vagueness.

"For gods sake Four, I'm not a child! Things aren't going to break me so badly I have to go cry back to my mother for her to kiss my injuries better."

He steps forward, closing the distance between us. His lip tremors.

"You were so drunk, I don't think even you knew what you were doing."

"Clearly."

"Please don't make me say this," he sounds so strained. His face has gone pale.

I just look at him with a determination in my eyes.

His face crumples, his body jerking. He leans in as close as he can with out touching me.

"You did it with him, Tris."

"You're lying," I say defensively.

"What would I get from lying? Think about it," he raises his eyebrow at me.

"I don't know. Maybe you just -"

"You did it_ willingly_," his voice breaks in expression at the last word.

At this I turn away from him just in time as the burning rises in my throat. I keel over, sick coming from my mouth. It's not very audible when I say, "And you watched the whole thing without thinking of coming and stopping him?"

"I didn't watch all of it. Do you seriously think I'd want to storm in and see him _touching_ you? Let alone watch it?" His voice sounds funny.

I cough again as sick rises. His hand goes protectively over my back, rubbing soothing circles in between my shoulder blades.  
I feel the hot burning in my throat matching to the hot sting that now comes to my eyes. I have to close them as the ground beneath me becomes too hard to see behind heavy tears. I sob for a moment, hyperventilating.

"But you could have," I say meekly.

He doesn't reply to me, just keeps rubbing at my back. I feel like I'm not going to be sick anymore so slowly ease my body in to a standing position. The tears are still falling down my face. I can taste the saltiness of them on my lips.

"I couldn't. It. You don't understand. You were calling for me."

"Then you should have!"

"No, you don't understand me. You were calling _my_ name."

I look down at my feet, embarrassed. Even in my most wildest dreams, most terrible thoughts I never thought this would have been what my mind was keeping for me. I'm questioning now if it wasn't the alcohol, that maybe I was just purely blocking this out. Couldn't process it in my mind well enough to cope so just locked it away in a box and kicked it in to the chasm to wash away.

"You still could of Four," I sense him wince when I say his name. It breaks me inside.

"I, I can't - I just -" my shoulders shake. His hands clutch at the sides of my upper arms, pulling me close to his chest. He stops rubbing my shoulder, stroking my hair down as I stain his top with my tears. He doesn't hold me expecting something of me. He just keeps me close, trying to calm me down. He's trying to look after me. It makes me sob even more.

He whispers in to my ear, "I'll try and keep it as a messed up compliment." There is a pause.  
"I promise to you now, I won't let him just get away with this."

Not if I can get to him first.

I feel the press of his lips to my hair, pulling back. He looks at me with a great sadness. Now everything makes so much more sense. Why I feel so sore. I feel the rush of adrenaline.

I tell Four that he should get back to the tests, I can make my own way back. I follow a few corridors, finally noticing my way around.  
I don't head for the dorms.

I head for Eric's place.

I bash on the door so violently I feel a splinter of wood go in to my skin. I let out a puff of air and dig it out. It falls to the floor as the door opens. Eric looks surprised when he sees me. His mouth quirks up at one corner. He leans against the frame casually.

"Back for more so soon, Tris?" He drawls my name out so slowly, making a hiss when it hits the s. His tongue hits the back of his teeth, pulling back slowly. It's deliberate.

I can't control myself as I lurch forward and smack him in the jaw. It takes him by surprise but he is able to move just in time so that it just grazes him. His hand curls around my fist, pulling me in to his apartment. The door is slammed shut by my back hitting it. I cough, my lungs hurting. My jaw is locked, my whole body riled up. My nose twitches, causing a small shooting pain. I'm squinting in rage at him.

Eric looks so calm as he stands in front of me. His eyes are slowly doing a metal examination over my body. The impulse to hit at him starts again. I wait till his eyes meet my face and bring my leg soaring up in to his crotch. He lets out the noise of a wounded animal, trying not to crumble down to the ground.

I speak through gritted teeth.

"That, is for what you did. You utter jackass."

I kick out at him again, my knee hitting solidly in to his chin. He gets furious and retaliates by dragging me down on to the floor. He thuds down on to me, taking the breath from my lungs. I smack out at his face, clawing my fingers in to. He's shouting at me, telling me to calm down interspersed with curses.

"You took it too far!" I shout in to his hand as he tries clamping my mouth shut. I sink my teeth in to the flesh of his hand, tasting his blood trickling in to my mouth. I spit it up at his face. His face turns a deep shade of red. His elbow collides with my nose. The screaming and pain that follows makes my body writhe and kick out under his. I can feel his body shifting as he reaches above me for something, fumbling at the table near the door. I can see the glint of something metal and sharp, it moves so fast I can't see it's form.

I feel the very tip of it in my neck. My body freezes, turned to ice. My chest holds it's position, trying to keep as still as possible. He looks down at my with blood dripping down on to my shirt. He looks down at me like I'm more than just prey. I'm already on his dinner plate. And he's got his knife ready.

"If you move, I will not hesitate to hurt you."

"Do you understand me?!" He spits at me.

I grunt out a yes at him, narrowing my eyes. I try to breathe slowly, collecting my energy.

"You really don't get the concept that this is bigger than you. You're so involved with your feelings for _him_, you can't even see what is right in front of your eyes. I've heard about your time today. 3 minutes? Impossible."

"Jealous? Didn't come first then either?" I say it so venomously which earns me the knife at my throat digging in further.  
He presses his hips further in to mine. I breathe in deeply. My mind is screaming at me. No one is going to come this time, Four isn't around in the control room. He's doing the tests.

This is for once, is Eric's private little show.

"I've already come first in something that is, _much_ more important to him."

"Did he tell you he didn't see it all?" Eric looks down at me curiously, I'm just a pawn in his game that he's already 10 steps ahead on.

"Yes."

"Wrong." He does his menacing grin. It seems to be his trade mark.

"I got someone to hold him down. He watched the whole thing. He had to watch how much you enjoyed it, he put up a fight..." The knife trails away from my throat, slowly grazing over my chest. He taunts it over the edge of the dress. "You didn't."

I want to kick out at him so badly. This is not the time for heroics, not when serious injury is around the corner. I can feel his hot touch against my inner thigh, creeping my dress up with his hands.

"Haven't you done enough already? You got the prize you wanted so badly so just stop." I'm not above begging him.

"That was for him." He cocks his head, leaning close to my face. The knife digs in to my dress, tearing the fabric. "I don't like you very much Tris, I can't see why he has eyes for you. Maybe he just always wanted an abnegation girl."

"But I enjoyed our time of it the other night." His fingers dig in to the flesh of my thigh. I bite down hard on my lip.

"Please Eric."

I watch his eyes move about my face.

"You won't be able to hide your divergence for long. Until now, I'm enjoying you being my play thing, it's always a fun activity getting all hot and bothered," he speaks like he's telling me how the weather is outside. It's so casual it's scary.

"Eric," my voice is pleading.

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**I'm so mean keep leaving you on cliffhangers ;**)


	8. Chapter 8

**We get some kick butt Tris here! I try not to make the characters to OOC, as the plot line changes what they do, just not how they should react. I can't get it spot on of course but I hope I'm able to match it as much as possible.**

Note: I do not own these characters or the world/novels created by Veronica Roth.

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"Yes?" He grins. The knife is twisting.

"Closer," I say.

"What?"

"Come closer," my head is pounding. Blood is flowing from my nose. It's making tracks down the side of my face, tickling me. It's sickeningly warm. I can feel it pool at my ears.  
Eric looks at me with suspicion. His hand moves the knife so it lays flat against my body. He might be thinking ten steps ahead of me in the general scheme of things but I'm two steps ahead of him right now. He's leaning down, eyes curious. His hair is all over the place. I struggle to push my head up off the ground towards him, whispering in to his ear. His guard is down. My hand sneaks up my body, fingers lingering over the knife.

"You should know better," I slowly say the sentence, giving myself time. Slowly enough that I can force a hard fist in to his temple. It sends him reeling, hitting him just in the right place to make his head feel as if he's losing grip on the world. By now the black spots should be appearing in his eyes. His hand loosens on the knife. I snatch it from his grasp, pulling it up wildly.

"You should always be in control of your weapon," I quote to him, mimicking his voice.

I plunge it in as far as I can in to his shoulder blades. The blood that comes from the wound instantaneously surprises me. It starts seeping outwards, darkening the grey marl colour. He's crying out, trying to remove it. His motions aren't fluid, it looks exactly as if he were trying to catch the dark spots in his vision. I push with all my might, it sends Eric toppling to the side back thudding against the ground. The noise that expels from his body is enough to make anyone wince. I'm clambering to his side, hands taking hold of the knife whilst he is still flailing his arms.

"You _never _touch _me _again_," _I hiss, close to his ear. He's directing such foul insults to me that I take the hilt of the knife in one hand and twist it ever so slightly. The blood starts pumping harder. The top half of his shirt is now a dark red, sticking to him. His body jerks about. This may very well be the first time he has ever been stabbed with a knife. I don't know. I don't care. All I care about is his pain.

I grab at his face, forcing him to look me in the eye.

"Do you understand me?!"

There is a recognition in his eyes. That is all I needed. I can feel bruising on my skin as I get up, Erics movements still awkward and juttery. The fist to his temple has completely messed up his wiring.

"And this is for what you did to Four." I bring my knee up from my standing position and slam my foot with as much force as I can on the knife handle. His stomach contracts, his knees jerking up. It's turned from cries of pain to screams. It's not hit any of his vital organs, I wanted Four to have his chance.

Four. My heart squeezes when I think of him seeing what I'm doing. The last thing I would want is for him to look at me thinking I am as sadistic as Eric, Peter, the countless other Dauntless members who emotions seem to be shut off to everything _but_ malice.

I let myself out of Erics apartment, leaving him writhing in pain. If what he said was true about Dauntless in the control room always watching out for him, it won't be long until they're all filtering in there. It's a rush, something I've never thought before. I can now understand that the factionless aren't worse off. They're better in some cases. They don't have a government they must abide by, leaders in your faction who get to totally rewrite laws that should never have been tampered with. Each generation molds it like they're god.

If there is a god, there must be a hell. Because Eric is taking a train ride to there one day.

We have to go back to do simulations today. Last night we were all too scared to go to sleep. Well, I say scared. For me I knew they weren't real, so the fear was lessened. I didn't bring this up when I sat around eating a chocolate cake with Christina and Will. We managed to get through half a cake in the time it took to teach me a new card game. I caught on fast, stabbing my fork in the cake with a cheer at the end of each round. Al seemed to be absent a lot since phase one. He seemed to no longer be interested in being in our circle we had formed. But he wasn't hanging around with anyone else. He just drifted away from a crowd doing god knows what with god knows who. It was hard to guess what anyone was doing these days.

The only thing I was certain of was that there was something going on between Christina and Will. They can try and hide it all they like, they just don't realize that they're not being discreet. They have little glances when they don't think the other is watching, cheeks flushing when they do. Hands brushing when placing down the cards. I hope for their sakes, they're not in some awkward triangle like I am currently. Except for a triangle to be truly formed, somebody is loved by the other two. Four and I certainly don't love Eric. Eric doesn't love Four and I. Four is only... My mind wanders off. I've been staring at a spot in the wall in front of me, totally fazed out.

I look around to see everybody has gone. They've had their simulation done already. I sit and adjust myself in the seat, not believing I got so carried away in my thoughts. I've been on edge ever since that knife plunging in to Erics shoulder. I feel like we go in this full circle of him manipulating me, me giving in, me fighting back and so forth. I don't know if I've well and truly gone and made my mark. Eric certainly isn't waving the white flag just yet.

Four calls out my name. I keep in pace with him, knowing where I have to go now. I settle down in the chair, staring up at the ceiling.. He sits there, just staring at me blankly out the corner of my eye. He places the injection in my neck, then grabs at the electrodes. He speaks so quietly as he leans in to place them.

"I heard what you did."

Of course he did. Word probably got around some crazy initiate went on a stabbing spree on a leader.

"I'm glad you're a fighter. You will get through this. We will get through this."

He retracts and prepares to press the button, flipping the switch and becoming instructor once more.

"Ready?" I nod at him and close my eyes in preparation.

I wake in a tank, that is completely sealed. I look around and see if there is an exit. My oxygen would be limited in here, I need to reserve my breath. I will only stay in here longer if I panic, if I panic I will lose air and if I lose air I will pass out then die.

Water sloshes over my toes. I look down confused. The tank is slowly filling with water. I see Eric's figure on the other edge of the glass, standing there with glee. His eyes are fixed on the water level. It's already at my calves. I bend down trying to see where it is filling. There is no hole that I can stuff my shirt in to, hoping it will block it.

I tell myself that its just a simulation. Take deep breaths. I didn't know I had a fear of drowning until now. I'm hitting out at the glass with no reaction. It stays solid even when my body repetitively hits in to it. It's not risen to my knee. The water is crystal clear, making the air taste of salt. The higher it gets up my body the faster it seems to fill. It makes no sense to me. This is illogical. Within a minute I'm floating, my feet no longer touching the base of the tank. I kick out at the glass, telling myself this is like the gun. I pull my head back, nose bumping against the top lid. It doesn't twinge or hurt. It's not real.

One deep breath and I've gone down. I focus and start pounding on the glass, trying to look past Eric. The glass starts to fracture, looking like cob webs spreading out. Another fist, and another. My lungs start to burn as the glass makes a shattering noise. I'm propelled forward on a tide of water, until it smacks me down on to the ground.

I try to spit water from my mouth, trying to get it from my lungs. It doesn't come up. The smell of salt and lemons returns to me. I'm back in the room with Four.

Turning my head to look at Four, I can see his face is controlled mask, trying to hide emotions. His lip has thinned out.

"How did I do?" He doesn't answer me. He types in to the keyboard, then shuts down the programme. He removes the electrodes from my head, placing them on the table.

He gestures for me to get out of the seat and walks up to the door, not saying a word. I follow him, thinking about the dormitories. My heart is calm this time, I don't feel scared. Or even fearful. Except Four isn't leading me to the dormitories. He's leading me to a place I've never been before. It is a secluded area, next to some rock formations that have built a wall. I can hear waves splashing at rock. We must be near the chasm.

"There are no cameras here. It's one of few places in the entirety of this place that you cannot tell where someone is going or coming."

"What's so secretive you need this cover?"

"It's your simulations."

"What about them?" I blink at him, trying to not give anything away.

You're manipulating them."

"I'm sure everyone can do that, perfectly normal," I don't look at him in the eyes. I stare at his eyebrows, not able to look him in the eye and not tell the truth. My chest tightens at the thought.

"No. No they can't. Only those with a divergence can."

Divergent, divergence. It just seems to be controlling my life at the moment.

"Tris, I cannot even state the importance of this. You are special. People normally can't do this. As we say, you either calm down or you face the fear. You can't destroy the situation."

"Then why can I?" This is a question I have wanted to be answered for so long. It's the one meaningful thing I've said whilst leaning against the rock.

"It's not only you," he says. It sounds like there is more to this sentence that he refuses to speak.

"I don't want you to end up dead." His eyes look saddened, his eyebrows dipping so a crease forms in his brow. The movement disrupts the point I was focusing on. I can't help but look at him now.

"You already have risked so much by hurting Eric," there is a scolding tone to his voice.

"He hurt you!" I pipe at him. My hands are in the air, a gesture to further show my annoyance.

He gives me a smile, that feels to me is one out of guilt.

"I don't need protecting, Tris."

"Yes you do. Everybody needs protection from something."

"Then what are we to do with ourselves?" He doesn't directly question me, its like he is throwing it out to the universe hoping that destiny will show his future.

"I think we shouldn't matter what anyone else thinks."

"That's hard when you have a corrupt leader hunting us both down."

"I think that if this is a living hell, how much worse could being factionless be?"

His hands suddenly come to the side of my face, planting a kiss right between my eyebrows. I am stunned to say the least.

"Thank you. Thank you for saying that."

His face shines with something. It's delight. At least I think it's that.

"Four, this is real, isn't it?"

"As real as every beat my heart takes."

"I'm so sorry, about, y'know."

"You didn't mean to. The fact you attacked him goes to show you really didn't want to. It's not the perfect situation, I will admit. You think it taints you, makes you less of a person by what he has done to you. And you must know, this isn't your fault. Please don't blame yourself," he urges the words out so quickly, I have to make my brain try to process it twice as fast.

"You have a real way with words don't you?"

"Only with you," he whispers.

We lean against the wall, side by side, our hands covering one another. Four occasionally rubs his thumb over my knuckles, sending an bolt of lightening up my arm, charging my whole body. I feel better for having him next to me.

I don't know how long this will last for with Four. I don't know how long Eric will keep at bay. I don't know how to not manipulate a simulation.

I don't know. I don't know. All knowing is lost.

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**I feel like I should be going "Woo, Tris!" At the end of this. Kick Butt scene and more of a confirmation with Four. I am so nice to you guys ;) I should have the next chapter up by Tuesday night at the latest. Which will include the chasm scene with Peter, Drew and Al. So I shall look forward to writing more of that in the next few days!**

Do tell me your thoughts though! :) Are you happy Tris got to get back at Eric? **What are your theories on what you think is going to happen?**


	9. Chapter 9

**Okay, I know I said it would be Tuesday... but here is a monday surprise instead, to cheer your week up ;) I had some time off today and this had been partially started/planned out the other day. This is the biggest chapter so far. I hope you enjoy! Can't believe I've surpassed 3,500 views now. Thank you, a huge thank you.**

Note: I do not own these characters or the novels/world created by Veronica Roth.

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We all seem to be getting affected by the simulations. The whole vibe has gone down in both initiate groups. Uriah, who I met before if even hesitant. His brother Zeke is already a member and keeps reassuring him, though it does little to calm the nerves. The terror is just so real, or in most cases, unlike mine. The feel of the simulation, the air, the smells, the sounds they all feel real. But something always tells me in the back of my head that it's not. At that point, it's like the crack in the tank and I can manipulate it. I've tried harder and harder to keep it back for as long as I can. I don't want to totally abolish my name on the board but I don't want to be caught out either.

I've heard nothing about Eric the last few days. I've had no messages, although I have received a few odd looks from some members. I don't know if they're in on it all too. The sense that this has gone far beyond just Fours feelings hammers in to me when I see these members. Four, who has kept a very close eye on me these last few days. His shadow was often not far away from mine, unless it had to be. I didn't protest when he'd take me back to the dormitory. He'd become very protective over me since that secret area we visited.

"I stabbed him," I had told him, trying to be honest. I felt like having it inside of me and not speaking about it was just wrong. He just had kept staring ahead. It was the last thing I'd said to him that wasn't polite conversation before and after a simulation.

I never knew if the phrase "no news is good news" was true or not. I felt that not hearing anything about Eric made me wonder if I had got a organ. It didn't make me feel regret, it gave me a rush of happiness. Which immediately started the spiral of thinking I was an awful human being. This wasn't the Dauntless Tris that I had expected to become.

On the final day of simulations, Four looked very ill. His face was pale, his touch cold. I'd tried so hard not to say anything to Four, not to speak to him out of turn until we knew the outcome with Eric. He looked stressed, like work was getting him down.

The last simulation I don't remember much of. I know that when I came to eventually, Four's fingers were at my throat checking my pulse. My body was stiff, my mouth dry. I had no idea if I had been screaming outside of the simulation. We hadn't discussed times since the first ever simulation I took. It felt strained at the times I was in a room with him. I seemed to always be his last for the simulations. If it was designed by this because of my last name or purely because Four wanted it that way I was unsure.

"Are you okay?" I breach the question with an uncertainty in my life.

He only mutters a weak "Fine," in response. He's not fine. He isn't a good liar. Not with me.

I got up and walked away. He just sat there, in his pale state. All his focus was being put upon the computer. I looked over my shoulder just before leaving. He still was intent on that screen, typing away.

Now that phase two is officially over, Christina and I have already made a pact to get a new tattoo in celebration. I get the dauntless symbol in between my shoulder blades, where as she gets swirls with sharpened points in the inside of her wrist. I see Tori in the back room, laying on my stomach as the needle presses in to my skin.

"How are things?" She asks.

"They seem to be okay."

"You don't need to lie. The bruises on your back are more than you would just get in your initiation."

"I'm just accident prone," I try to fob her off.

"I've watched you Tris, you walk along planks without faltering once. You don't trip over your feet." She lowers her head to the needle, voice low.

"So tell me, does someone know your Divergence?"

My muscles must tense up enough in response that it gives her the answer she was looking for.

"Does the fact Eric is walking around with stitches from a knife wound have anything to do with you?"

"Maybe." It comes out with more pride than I thought it would.

"Has he left you alone?"

"Since that, yes."

I twitch as the needle goes over a sensitive patch of my back. Tori pauses to wipe the design of my back, so she can see it more clearly, giving the time for the sensitivity to calm down. The buzzing returns.

"Four seems very off these last few days. There is much more to this isn't there?"

I sigh, debating inside if I should tell her everything. I feel I can trust Tori.

"Possibly. It's more than just the... _divergence._"

Tori cranks up the music that is playing in the room. It's so loud that the thumps in the bass feels like it's vibrating all the way through my body. I'm thankful for Tori. She tells me about how her brother was divergent and ended up at the bottom of the chasm. It was a long time ago, before the way they ran things around here had changed. I ask her if she thought he might just have not been able to take it, was depressed. She denies this, so sure that it was something to do with the leaders. I tell her what I can remember. That I woke up in handcuffs and the only thing that really strikes up in my memory is Eric questioning me if I knew what Divergent meant.

Tori tentatively asks how I ended up in that situation. It all comes spilling out of my mouth, about Eric and the blackmail, about Four, the night I spent with Eric drunk. It flows out of me like water in a stream. It's unstoppable, ever flowing. She doesn't interrupt me as I tell her, she just listens and focuses on the tattoo. She's going painfully slower so she has more time to spend with me. Her eyes sometimes dart towards the door, making sure no one barges in on us speaking.

"And you said Four was fine about it? Said that you shouldn't blame yourself?"

"Yes."

"He's right about one thing, you shouldn't blame yourself. I can understand why you'd be so hesitant to defy him after Edward. But he's trying to protect your feelings in this, not his. Things like this Tris are not as simple as just saying it's okay, I'll act revenge upon someone. Trust me, I know with my brother. Revenge would be wonderful but it doesn't help you get through the emotion fall out. It has to be talked about, supported. And something like this, it's serious. I have noticed the way he looks at you every now and then, like he'd jump in front of a train for you."

"But how am I meant to talk to him about that?"

"You'll find the right time. You just need to know that it's something you both have to face together if you want to move on in the future. Otherwise it will consume whatever you wish to have and poison it."

"And what about the Divergence?"

"There is nothing you can do now. You just have to wait for the scores and hope they didn't notice you."

"We both know Eric already has marked me as having it, without the proper proof."

"Then you need to take advantage of your friends. It's useful having eyes watching you when you can't protect yourself."

"What with everything that has happened, my friendships have faltered. There are moments of... where we feel together. But I've been so self absorbed I've missed out on a lot."

"I can only offer advice, it is your choice if you take it or not. The decision is in your hands now."

She wipes at my back again, saying she has finished. There is a warm prickling pain beneath my skin, the blood pumping. She shows me it in a mirror, checking to see if I like it. I nod at her and she wraps it up, turning the dial of volume down. I thank her, passing through the door to see Christina nearly finishing up. I try to focus and spend time with her and Will for the rest of the day until the scores are up. We all linger in groups in the dormitories, a common event it seems when scoring day is upon us.

It's the first time I have seen him in days when he walks in. He looks rougher than Four. I start too wonder if infection has set in in his wound, making him sick. I don't know how much damage I have done. His face is so scornful it's scary. He places the board leaning against the floor as we all rush up to it.

I'm shocked. I lose all my senses, ears ringing. My name sits at the top of the list.

When I do look around the room I see Christina, Will and surprisingly Al's face looking at me like I am some form of traitor. It's all well and fine if I come lower than them. I gulp, thinking of what Tori said today. I weave my way back to my bunk, Peter watching me from across the room. I don't give him the satisfaction of looking at him. It makes my skin crawl.

Eric doesn't ask to see me, doesn't even acknowledge me ever since that look when he first walked in. When he walks, his upper body tenses, trying to compensate for the wound. It looks like it's hard for him to breath. It's rather menacing not knowing what somebody elses next move is. You always know in your head safety plans, back ups for if something happens. But when someone is acting out on revenge, it's dangerous. Like Tori said, revenge may feel great but it doesn't work well in the end for anyone.

I hear whispers about me for the rest of the night. I just roll around and face the wall, biting my lip to try and stop myself from responding. I keep my eyes closed, trying to tell myself that this is nearly over. The initiation only has one more phase to it, then I am either free from all of this or am a stronger part of the community in being a member. The light is turned out at some point, the orange glow that was setting behind my eyes replacing for utter darkness. It spirals and I feel sick. I try to roll over and move but end up feeling even worse. I've heard of this feeling before, vertigo.

I try to ignore it the best as I can whilst I drag myself out of the bed, my foot steps not in a straight line. The room spins, like I'm double sighted. I make it to the small water fountain that is right next to the wall of the main door. It's ever so slightly open. I can hear voices as I bend my head to take some water. It helps and I splash some up in my face. I press myself to the wall, trying to not be seen. I can see a sliver of someone's body. There are two male voices and one female.

"We won't know until we get the results." This voice I don't recognize, it's a deep voice. One of the men.

"I'm telling you, I'm ninety nine percent sure that she is Divergent. Don't argue with me," Eric's voice cuts in. I purse my lips, eyes narrowing in response to him. I'm ninety nine percent sure that he is also talking about me.

"You better find out fast," the woman's voice snips back at him. It doesn't sound very tolerant. There is something to the voice that I remember. Like I've heard it before but am struggling to place it to a face. It doesn't sound Dauntless and by her posture, she doesn't seem to have much muscle. She must be from another faction.

"Do you seriously think I'd let her do this to me if it I wasn't sure?" Eric sounds venomous. I knew he wouldn't be happy by my retaliation, the way he speaks though makes me beg to differ how pissed I thought he would be.

"If a little _girl_ can do that to you, Eric, I question if you are able to do this," the female voice says.

"How dare you!" Eric spits. They all mutter in argument until the other mysterious male voice tells the woman she better leave now. I can see the male figure pulling Eric away with some force. He doesn't touch the side where I stabbed him, even though I can hear the wince.

I keep staring, stuck to my spot. What did I just witness? What are they planning to do with me?

Arms suddenly encompass my arms, I open my mouth to scream and feel a large hand clamp on my mouth from behind. The person smells like lemongrass. A rope is yanked in to my mouth, cutting in to the sides of my lips, my tongue retracting causing me to choke. It's tied roughly at the back of my head as a musty bag is thrown over my head. I'm panicking, thinking that Eric has sent someone for me, to make sure I'm divergent now I've come first. I start to kick out at the wall, making a connection with it, pushing back at my attacker. Attackers. Arms pull my feet against the sides of someones body. I'm being carried as I writhe and kick as much as I can. I scream in to the rope.

"Shut her up!" Peters voice snaps in.

"Please don't make this harder for yourself." Al's voice. Al? The lemongrass. But why would Al want to do this to me? What are they going to do with me? I shake my shoulder trying to get loose. A fist hits in to my stomach. It continues to punch out at me. I count three people now. Al is holding my arms, Peter must be at my feet. Or Drew. The third person has to be Drew. The more I try to scream the more I'm choking on the gag of rope. Adrenaline is pumping in to my body, spiking my blood pressure and heart beat.

I can feel the cool mists of air, the noise of water cascading down on rocks. I'm near the chasm. Now I'm kicking out more, throwing my weight. Tori's brother ended up at the bottom of that chasm for being a Divergent and so am I. Just not by Eric. By one of his lackeys.

Al's hands let go of me and I smack in to the ground, not being able to roll as my legs are still suspended in the air. I can feel blood seep from the back of my head, my hair matting as I roll about on the floor. Two hands are yanking my arms above my head, binding them with rope. The darkness of the bag is making the situation even more heightened with fear. My body is lifted again, high. I'm being pulled up against a railing, my tied arms looped in to a piece of metal. They let go of my legs, my shoulders scream at me immediately. They are being tugged at violently by my weight being suspended off the ground. My legs are free and I try and kick out. I can feel someone near me and I'm trying to get at them, hoping I can knock them.

Peters voice is near my head.

"He told me about you... I still don't believe him. Maybe I should see for myself if you aren't a little girl?" His voice is like dozens of venomous snakes hissing about, ready to bite out.

His hands roll up to my chest. I kick and writhe, it doesn't help the pain, the stretching of my sockets. His hand clamps on my chest, laughing. I shout foul things, not to much use. It comes out as a disgruntled warbling against the rope. Tears are pricking at my eyes, the whole scene emotionally breaking me.

"Hey, that's not what we agreed," Al's voice pipes up. Peter snaps a "Fine!" in annoyance. He lifts my legs up and over the railing. I don't have to see to know I am no longer hanging above solid ground. If I continue to writhe and the rope comes loose, it'll be a one way trip in to the chasm. I'm surprised this never came up in my simulations, this is terrifying. There is still phase three, something still to do with our fears and physically facing them. I try and keep as still as I can, just hoping, praying even that they pull me back in.

"Nobody comes before me, you hear me?" Peter's voice is hissing at me again. Somebody else with another complex about being first. Eric and Peter are a match made in heaven. The perfect of allies and accomplices.

I can hear running and the tears start to trail down my face, they're leaving me. If I manage until morning, somebody may find me before I'm dead. I don't hold out much of a resolve for this. My head is banging at me, making the vertigo that I had felt even worse.

There are screams that aren't mine. It sounds like Drew, he's crying out in pain. Is Al hitting out at him? More feet running on the Pit floor. Drew cries out the word stop several times. All sorts of things are running through my mind. The mentality of thinking hurts. I must have banged my head harder than I thought I did.

Hands touch me and I flinch in response. They tuck under the backs of my knees, pulling me towards them. The railing bashes in to my feet. I'm over the railing. There isn't a drop beneath me anymore. I can breathe a sigh of relief. My arms are gently lifted off of the metal I was hanging from, my body draped over a shoulder. They gently pull me down on to the floor, laying me down flat. I'm too frozen to writhe about, worried if I'm going to be attacked in a totally different sense. The bag is taken from my head. I blink trying to adjust, my eyes still blurry from the tears that continue to fall. It takes a moment to focus. Four is above me, focused himself on weaving his fingers in to the rope at my arms. I can feel it loosen, some blood flow starting to thump back in.

His hands go beneath the back of my head next, meeting the sticky residue of my blood. He unties the rope from my mouth, I gasp for air. He pulls his hands away, the shock flashing across his face as he looks down. I'm starting to feel worse, feeling like the bag is over my head again, my world darkening.

"Four," I croak out as he cradles me against his body, hoisting me as he gets up. My head rolls back on his arm.

I slowly open my eyes to find myself on a mattress. My head is supported on a pillow, still thudding in pain. I feel so stiff. My face feels tight against my face, tracks of dried tears on my cheeks. My tongue flicks out to the side of my mouth, feeling dried blood. I roll around, looking wildly about to check I am not back in Eric's apartment. They layout of the room looks the same but there are different objects.

I pull myself up, nausea smacking me in the face. I sit still with my arms straight next to me. My head hurts much more now. I lean myself against pillows, the headboard supporting my choice of sitting up. I don't know if that was a clever decision or not now. I wait and stare at two doors. I don't know where either of them lead but I can barely sit up, let alone run away. I just am thankful I am no longer in the Pit.

I sit idly and wait. Four comes out of the door to the right, his hair wet, clothes recently thrown on. He looks surprised to see me sitting up. He approaches me slowly, coming to sit on my side of the bed, making it dip. His hands are in his lap, watching me carefully.

"You're awake then."

"How long was I out for?"

"About an hour maybe."

I pause. It's a stupid question to ask.

"How did you know I was there?"

"I couldn't sleep. I was wondering about. I heard muffled screaming and Peters voice."

That surprises me. I expected it to be him in the control room. But then again, I don't think they would have let him go if he had been.

"I heard Drew screaming?"

His hand scratches his head, a look of guilt on his face. "I hit out at him a few times. I think Peter dragged him to the infirmary."

"And Al?"

"He was running already when I arrived. I thought you were friends?"

"So did I."

I pull my legs up, resting my chin on them. My arms are wrapped around them, in a defensive position.

"I think Eric sent them to do it."

"I wouldn't be surprised."

"If he did, he made them touch me."

"_Touch you?"_ his voice is gritted. He grinds his teeth.

"Not like Eric. Just."

"You needn't say anymore." He looks away from me, his eyes flashing with anger.

"You've got that face again."

"What face?"

"That one. You use it whenever you speak about that night."

"I can't help it."

I wince, feeling like I've been hit at. I have. This is a different kind of hit, different kind of hurt.  
I choose not to tell him Tori encouraged me to do this. I don't think he wants his and our personal business discussed with anyone.

"You're angry at me aren't you."

He doesn't reply at first, just stays quiet. He turns to face me, pulling himself further on the bed. His legs cross, his knee touches my foot he's so close.

"I don't want you to think what I told you previously isn't the truth. I know it's not your fault. But it is. In some way, it is."

"I didn't want to!"

"But you drank with him, you entered in to it."

"Four! He got someone to stab Edward in the eye just because I refused to do what he said."

"If you didn't draw so much attention to yourself, maybe they wouldn't be so down on you for being a divergent," his voice is turning cruel. I know it's just the hurt and rage coming out. I can't help but feel in turmoil by it.

"You really think it's just about that? This all started because he saw how much you liked me!"

"Are you saying it's _my_ fault now?" He accuses.

"You're twisting my words."

"How can I be truly all right with what you did with him?"

"Oh, go on. Just say it," I spit.

"I'm angry at you for sleeping with him."

"That's not it."

He's looking down at the bed, pulling at a piece of fabric in a throw.

"Fine, I'll say it," I say. "You're angry because I thought Eric was you, Four. You're angry because he tried to take something away from you. And he did. He did take something away from me too, remember. You're not the only one that was hurt in this situation."

"I know that."

"And I'm truly sorry for what I did. It was the first time I had alcohol, I wasn't expecting for this. I didn't want to be responsible for someone ending up dead in all these other situations. He has a power over me that terrifies me," the tears are returning.

"Please don't cry," Four begs.

"And do you know how scared I've been because of what I did? Because I could end up pregnant because of this?" I'm sobbing again.

He moves his body, coming to sit up next to me. His arms wrap around my body, pulling me close.

"I think the best thing we can do right now is to be truthful to each other. By trying to not hurt the other person we have. I'm going to tell you now, I felt like my heart was breaking when I was having to watch all of that. It was the worst thing I've had to witness in my entire life. Eric is a very manipulative person. This is not the first time I've seen this either. It's not just you, he's not just singling you out. It just hurts, can you understand that?"

"Yes."

"And I know now how you feel. Maybe we can work through this."

"And what if we can't?"

"We will."

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**So we've had more of a proper discussion now about the "night." I enjoyed writing this chapter, even if it was horrible having to watch the characters go through certain things. I hope you enjoyed it just as much! I really do love hearing from you all, I'm thankful like I said. Following, favourites I'm thankful for you too. You guys rock. :)  
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	10. Chapter 10

**We get some more of Uriah in this! I know a few of you were hoping to see more scenes with him, I left this one till as long as I could for reasons :) Thank you so much for all the reviews - I love hearing your thoughts every time!**

Note: I do not own these characters or the world/novels by Veronica Roth.

* * *

The talk helped a bit. It released the knot that was inside of me. I don't even know how someone processes through that kind of thing. I have no idea how Four even can trust me after that. It would be similar to cheating on someone. Except we weren't together. Eric was hoping that would totally destroy this. But a fighter is a fighter, we don't give up when it gets hard. We stay until the battle is fought and the war is won.

Four asks if it was okay to clean up my cuts. I nod, watching as he dabs at my face with a warm towel. His touch is so light and delicate, eyes only focused on the area he is tending to. I watch him. He doesn't look like he is eighteen. He looks like the last two years spent in Dauntless have added so much age to him. His experiences show all over his face. The weight and struggle of the changes, of bad leaders. I can see now why he rejected wanting to become one of them. He was better than that. Is better than that.

I try not to wince as pain comes and goes across my face. His fingertips gently move my head to the side so he can clean under my jaw. We don't make conversation, Four looks calm but I can see it in the way he sits here. He's trying to hide how he feels about the situation still. If it's anger for me being attacked or still directed at me, I'm too afraid to ask.

"Tomorrow you're going to want to look vulnerable."

"I don't think I have to try," I say meekly. I do feel vulnerable. I feel like I have to be hyper aware of every situation now. It's not just Eric I'm having to worry about. Peter has an evident grudge that goes further than just what Eric demands of him to do. I can see Peter in a few years becoming a Dauntless leader, he has the potential. Potential psychopaths.

"The best thing you can do is to go in there and look down. But don't hide the bruises. You need your friends to _want_ to protect you. To be on your side. Just not so vulnerable you become everyone's pickings. Do you understand?"

"I shouldn't worry about the end part, I can defend myself. But thank you."

"I will have my eyes on you when I can." Four finishes cleaning my face and starts dabbing a clear liquid upon them. It stings and breath is sucked in between my teeth. I want to say to him that when does he ever not have his eyes on me? He does the same thing I do. When somebody walks in a room, we always look up. Trying to find each other.

He settles me down in his bed, pulling the sheets over me. He's successfully calmed me down enough that I feel safe. His hand is on my cheek, warmth spreading across my face with his touch.

"I'll sleep on the couch, you just rest. You're safe here."

He turns to go and I clutch to his hand. He looks down at me with furrowed brows, looking confused.

"Please stay," I ask. He seems to contemplate it in his head, wondering if it's a good idea or not. I tug at the fabric of his shirt, giving him a small smile.  
My hand falls from the fabric as Four walks to the other side of the bed, climbing in. He keeps a distance away from me, looking in to my back. He's holding back steady breaths. I roll over, my body protests but I force it. I have to shift about to get comfortable, our heads inches apart. Four looks restrained.

"Thank you," I whisper to him, closing my eyes. He doesn't lay a finger on me, keeping to his side of the bed. I can feel his gaze on me as my brain starts to shut down. My muscles begin to relax, my head rolling lightly on the pillow. I can feel myself fall to sleep with that small smile still on my lips.

I wake in the morning, stretching my arms out in front of me. I forget where I am. The bed is empty though, my hands touching cold sheets. He hasn't been here in some time. I can hear the pitter patter of water in the room next to me and the tight feeling in my chest relaxes. Waking up fearful wasn't fun.

We take turns in the bathroom, Four gives me a cheeky grin as he remarks on my hair. I finally get a look in the mirror and it's sticking up in so many different places it's hard to count. My face looks so swollen and bruised. My nose has gone down at least. I don't think my parents would even recognize me if I showed up like this to them. I've still yet to see Caleb. I just don't know how I'm meant to. We aren't allowed to leave the faction compound by ourselves, I can't put this to Four either. He knows about divergence, if it's because he's one or Tori's brother rings out to him I still feel that just yet, it's not right.

I get back in to yesterdays clothes, silently thanking myself that I stay in day clothes to sleep in. He asks what I'm going to do today, keeping some distance from me. I bite my lip and tell him that I'm going to do exactly as he said. That I need to spend time with people who are actually currently in my position. He tells me that in two days we start phase three. He's worried for me, I can tell.

We agree that he'll go in to the food hall before me. Four says one last set of words to me as we leave his apartment.

"When you can, destroy them."

Four doesn't let me out of his sight, he's true to his word. He even walks with me to the Food hall, making vague conversation about the training in case we had any eavesdroppers.

"Show time," he whispers in my ear. I shake my body out, wobbling my arms. Rolling my shoulders back, loosening the muscles, I push the door open. I'm looking down at the floor, making my way to where Christina and Will sit. Al is now residing with Peter, Drew and Molly right behind me. Christina's head jerks backwards in shock when she sees me.

"What the hell happened to you?" she hisses at me.

"Peter," I make my voice as weak as I can. It makes my stomach go in to knots, forcibly making myself more shrouded in while sitting. I can see Four out of the corner of my eye with his friends, the scene reminds me of Eric dragging me out, smacking me in to a door frame.

"What the hell was that for?" Will asks.

"Oh, you know. Peter has such a massive complex with being first."

"What did they do to you?" Christina is speaking in the tone of a very concerned friend. Four was right, this has worked. They are back on my side now.

"I think it's more important, _who."_

"Drew?" Will perks up, his face screwed up in anger.

"And Al," I spit the words out like they're traitorous for even coming out of my mouth. Fitting really.

"Are you serious?"

I just nod my head at them. They ask a few questions in hushed tones and I recant what I can of the story. At the very trail end of it, we see Drew walk in, his whole body covered in black bruises. He walks with a limp, just the sight of him makes you feel painful. Four did more than just hit out at him a few times. He utterly destroyed him. They sound furious.

Uriah comes and sits down next to me with two other girls. He introduces them as Marlene and Lynn. Marlene seems pleasant, Lynn just looks me up and down with a raised eyebrow.

"Who kicked the hell out of you?" Lynn doesn't blurt it out, like she can't keep it in. She just asks as if she doesn't care if I think she is being rude or not. I'm taken aback.

"Ignore her, she's been here all her life - she isn't always that rude," Uriah says in an apologetic tone.

"She so is," Marlene jokes, poking Lynn in the chest. Lynn laughs, her expression is still the same as it was before when she looks at me again.

Lynn asks again. I purse my lips and just flick my head to the side, eyes pointing to Peter's table. The three of them don't look surprised. Of course. Edward and his eye must be well known through out the faction. Everybody knew it was Peter. They just didn't know it was because of me. It leaves me with a lot of guilt.

Eric walks in to the food hall and I take a deep breath. He wears a tank top, the bandage still patched around the wound I created. Although there is dried blood, he looks a lot more healthier this time. It seems he is over the worst. It's not guilt I'm feeling now, it's anger. I didn't really think till now how badly I had wanted him gone.

"Does anyone know how he got that?" Marlene asks. I look down at my food and pick at a roll. I take a bite big enough that I won't be able to reply without spitting food on them.

"Nobody knows, he won't talk about it apparently. Maybe he's just embarrassed, a vengeful ex-girlfriend?"

Something like that, I think. Most shockingly, he goes and sits down next to Four. You can feel how tense the air is between them, so thick you'd struggle to cut it easily with a knife.

"Either way, someone getting one over on Eric isn't bad in my books," Uriah says. He explains that his older brother Zeke, who is a member of Dauntless never got along with him. That he always seemed aggressive and beyond rude.

I just watch their conversation as they consider all the options as to what could happen to Eric. None of them turn around to me and point their finger with blame at me. I think I'm safe from all of this.

It could be seen as favoritism otherwise. Even if I did stab him. Just like how it could seem like that with Four, if we actually go anywhere. It's just our little secret at the moment. I seem weighed down by secrets now. Christina and Will skulk off together, their hands brushing softly. I smile, unable to stop it. I'm happy for them. I'm sure I'll hear all about it from Christina when she is ready.

I follow Uriah, Marlene and Lynn out of the food hall, lingering. A man who looks older but very familiar to Uriah walks past. He introduces him as his "big brother," whilst punching him in the arm. Zeke tells him to hurry up if he wants to catch up with them before the train goes. I look puzzled, wondering what they are up to.

"Normally it's just a Dauntless born tradition, but do you want to come along?" Uriah asks, smile beaming with teeth.

"What are you going to do?"

"You'll see!" He takes hold of my arm and drags me after the Dauntless members. Lynn looks furious for me tagging along. We definitely aren't going to be friends, it seems.

I take this opportunity to learn how to get out of the Dauntless camp. I've been waiting for the right time to go and see Caleb. I know how we got here and the vagueness of it all from the capture the flag night, I just need to have a more mapped out version. I'm still unsure how to get to Erudite. I've never been there in my life, my father hated them too much. He didn't even like us being around them at school, he must be so furious at Caleb for his decision that mine pales in comparison.

When we do catch up to the speed of the trail and fling ourselves in, Lynn stops down on my hand. "Oopsies," she said sweetly when I had grunted with pain. I think it would be safe to keep a distance away. I feel guilty for leaving the camp, leaving Four. But he didn't specify which friends I should look for for protection. Seemed smart to branch out.

The train takes a while to reach our designation. The light is starting to go from the day, twilight taking form. I could just about make out a set of dilapidated buildings with a lot of empty land next to it. The Dauntless members don't tell us what they're about to do, there is a sense of excitement in the initiates. I had no clue at all, Uriah probably had at least a vague idea. I could be walking to my death for all I knew. The building we come to stand in front of it tall. Really tall. They tell us we are going to have to climb up it, some groans protesting.

"You can use the stairs if you _really_ want," Zeke says with a devilish smile. Clearly nice smiles ran in their family.

The elevator looks like it hasn't run in years, that the cords that hold it could snap at any second. It gives us all the thrill we need though, it's truly Dauntless. It jutters as we ride it up. I wonder at what floor we are going to get out. It reaches the very top and we stop. Somebody goes to press the 'open' button and I hear a laugh.

"Not that way, stupid."

We all have to climb out of the top, it hurts my arms as I lift my body weight up, I'm just thankful that I don't weigh too much. We have to climb up the cord of the elevator rope, making our way through a gap in the metal above us. It brings us out on to the roof. We are so high up that the wind feels thin. It's cold, the initiates crowd in one corner so I migrate towards them. Somebody is setting up a zip line with a large harness that looks like a bag. I look over curiously.

A Dauntless member with blonde hair bobbing around her shoulders lays down flat in the harness, her head facing the edge of the roof. Zeke straps her back in and pushes her. Her body goes soaring down off the roof, whizzing down the zip line so fast you can barely follow her as she goes down.

"Where does she land?" Marlene asks. Zeke points to a tiny spot where a flame is lit in the distance. Everyone's eyes all bug out. I might not be fearful of heights but the thought we may slip out of the harness and fall to a horrible death doesn't really appeal.

We all line up. I stand behind Uriah, shifting my weight side to side. Some members go down head first, their stomachs down where as some go down on their backs, feet first. Uriah remarks to Zeke that he better make sure the harness is tight or else their mom is gonna kill him.

Uriah screams as he goes down, there is a thrill to it though. Zeke smiles at me as he sets up another harness.

"You're quite friendly with Four aren't you?"

"Why do you ask?" I say suspiciously.

"Just because he seems to talk about you a lot."

"He does?" My whole face feels like I've become lighter.

Zeke just nods and asks how I want to go down. I choose head first, which he remarks is really rather brave for someone not Dauntless born, let alone an initiate. I can feel the straps tight against my back, making me feel a lot more safe. My legs are jittery in the harness, the exhilaration of it getting to me. I just want to get it over and done with. Zeke starts counting down from three and I shoot forward when he hits two. I reenact what Uriah did, screaming. You can't help it. My eyes sting as the wind whips in to them, my hair battering my face. The scream turns from one of fear to one of happiness. I feel so free in this moment, like the birds on my collar bone. I release my arms that are pinned down the side, stretching them in front of me. I feel so alive.

I close my eyes and just pretend I am a bird. There is such a big grin on my face, I can tell. It makes the sides of my lips so stretched it hurts a little. As the ground starts to rush up under me, I still remain in my happy bubble. I reach the ground and the harness smacks in to the post, jolting me. Lauren is waiting at the bottom, smiling at me.

"Well done Tris!" Everyone at the bottom is whooping. We whoop every single time somebody comes down. I ask Lauren tentatively why Four doesn't come along and she remarks he's done it enough. Deep down I think that he is just really fearful of heights. It is such a wonderful community, when you're with the right people. At least the people I'm surrounded with are genuine. I wish Christina and Will could of been a part of this. I try not to think of Al, it just makes me too angry and my blood begins to boil. I haven't seen him apart from the table. I don't want to see him. I don't know what reaction I would even have towards him. I'd want to slap him sideways for what he did.

Making our way back, everybody seemed to have so much energy. It made the worries for phase three less for all of us. I was thankful to Uriah for bringing me along, even if he shouldn't have. Lynn had such a resentment for me. She wouldn't even acknowledge me in the train car back.

When we reach the faction camp, the jump down makes me feel even more on fire. All I want to do when we touch the Pit floor is find Four. With this feeling of being so alive, all I want to do is be in his arms. Life is so short and we have to make good memories and deal with the bad.

I wander around the camp, trying to find my way to his apartment. I reach his door and am about to knock when I feel a body against mine. I spin around, closing my eyes. I go on my tip toes and press up on the tip of my toes to place a kiss on his lips. Until I'm struck with that scent of Liquor. I thud back down on the floor, eyes snapping open.

"Hello, Tris."

"What do you want Eric?"

"There are a lot of things I want from you."

"I said no and I meant it," I grit through my teeth.

"Oh, I know that. You made that quite obvious."

"Don't you dare touch me," I jab my finger in to his wound and a horrible gurgle comes from his mouth. His hand becomes an iron grip around my wrist, crushing it.

"Did you enjoy your little _hanging_ out with Peter?"

"I knew it."

"I can get to you in ways you wouldn't even be able to think of," he threatens.

"Not interested."

He leans his face in to mine. "All I want is for you to admit your divergence," his voice is so low and slow it gives me chills.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" I scream at him.

"Stop acting so god damn stupid."

"I'm not."

I feel the hard skin of his hand against the side of my face. My head jolts to the side as he slaps me. My cheek stings where the impact hit. He hit me hard enough that I'm not surprised if his hand isn't a red raw mark now forming. My neck hurts from where it took the strain of the hit in my muscles.

Eric's body is pulled away from mine and shoved in to the opposite wall. Four has his fists in the fabric of his tank top, knuckles digging in to his wound. Tears are pricking in Eric's eyes as Four is asserting his dominance.

"I'd say don't even think of touching her but you seem to think you own her," Four is right in Eric's face. All I can see is the back of him, with Eric's face the only in view.

"Oh, and you do?"

"I'd never dream of doing what you did to her."

"I think you'd just _love _to, you just can't admit it."

Fours first collides with Eric's jaw. "You don't touch her, you don't go near her, you don't even say her name or I swear to god I will kill you."

Eric's eyebrow raises, not caring. When another fist collides again with his stomach, he finally grunts out a fine. All Eric's attention is focused on me, eyes glinting.

That definitely is not the end of it. But until now, Four's threats will keep him at bay.

* * *

**Four finally gets to get a bit violent against Eric, that's a woop moment ;) Next chapter will be the start of phase three/going to see Caleb. So hopefully you are all looking forward to reading that!**

Till next time :)


	11. Chapter 11

Sorry this chapter took a few days in getting up! I'm so excited we have reached 70 reviews! I love your guys PM's and reviews. It's so lovely of you!

Note: I don't own these characters or the world/novel by Veronica Roth.

* * *

Four takes me in to his apartment to make sure I'm okay.

"Why did you come here, Tris?"

"I just got back from zip lining," at this he looks an in attractive shade of green, "I felt so... Alive. And I wanted to see you."

I can see the smile he reserves just for me flash across his face. His fingers curl around mine, hands entwined together. He's close to me, the smell of lemons fluttering around me.

"You're more wonderful than you know," he says, rather intimately. He presses his lips to my forehead.

"Four-"

"Please don't call me that," his voice is tight.

"Why?"

"I'll explain. Just not right now."  
A day and a half later Four and Lauren round all of us up, the room where phase three takes place is up a few stairs. It looks a lot larger than I thought it might have. The room has a large floor space with alongside the right wall a set of steeping stairs with chairs set in place. I haven't seen much of Four since he beat Eric up. He keeps disappearing and when I wander through the Pit when I can't sleep I can see his figure wandering about.

There are a lot of dauntless members that are seated, eager when we walk in. They look gleeful as they watch us. They all seem to watch with gleeful eyes, awaiting the pain and conflict we will all have to go through shortly. Lauren is the one to administer all the serum needles, they sting and feel like they are rooting in to my veins, making burning connections. I'm the eight person to go, Peter being first. It was Four's idea. I give him a sneaky smile when I think nobody else is looking. I catch Eric in the corner of my eyes, my mouth falling flat.

Peter screams so much in the simulation that when he comes out of it his body is heaving, tears running down his face, catching on his lip. All the energy seems zapped from him, shaking legs that can't support him. He wipes at his face furiously, not wanting to look weak. They did explain to us, even though we were experiencing somebody elses fears - Lauren didn't look too happy people getting inside her head - it still would be terrifying. And our own would be like living hell.

I watch Christina claw at her hair, pulling chunks out. Will has to be restrained from rushing forward to cradle her body against his. I'm moving on the balls of my feet, my body anxious. The weight of knowing I can manipulate it scares me and trying to suppress it more than just going in to it.

It's my turn to go and I can see Four's body trying to remain calm. He must be scared for me. Eric had left the room, bored two people ago. I'm thankful for that.

I close my eyes, sitting on the floor. I'm transported on to hard rocks beneath my back, water tickling my feet. My head whips around to see I am on a beach. A body is pinned on top of mine and I snap my eyes towards the person. They are a masked figure, clawing at my body. I start trying to thrash away from the person to find my wrists and ankles bound. I can feel my heart rate accelerate, screaming.

It's not real, it's not real. Tris, it's not real.

I don't care if they are watching out for me being divergent. I have to get out of here, there's too much of Eric in this, flash backs that are hazy blurs of his face against mine.  
I need to find a jagged rock, if I can cut the bindings on it I can get away and end the simulation. The masked man crawls further up me. I wonder what made this be one of Lauren's fears.

My skin is cut, warm blood trickling down my ankle. I move the rope against it as fast as I can, my skin is getting slashed at repetitively. I pull my legs apart, the last remaining threads that were joined snapping. I use the force of my feet against the rocks to push my upper body off the ground, hands smacking down violently on the masked strangers head.

I'm thrust back in to real life. My arms are in front of me, hands in clenched fists. My nails have dug in to my palms so much that they're bleeding. I pull myself up off the ground, coming face to face with Four. My chest is heaving, anger coursing through my body.

His gaze is stony, he keeps a calm rage. He might be annoyed I manipulated the simulation but for me, I'm raging because he chose which of us went on which fears. I trusted him, trust him, I put my faith he wouldn't put me through this.

"You shouldn't-"

"You jackass!" I scream at him. I take him by surprise and he steps backwards in shock.

"You're not going to let her speak to you like that, Four?" Lauren says, eyes looking me up and down with a teachers scorn.

I go to walk out of the room, when his hand touches my arm, it's a burning touch. I yank it away from him and he closes the distance between us, angrier than before.

I do what is unthinkable to me. I turn and smack him in the face. He lets go of me and I storm out of there, run through the pit and carry on running. My hair is whipping wildly in my face. I run to the entrance of the compound, pushing myself on to the net, rolling over till I meet stairs that allow us to climb the wall we jump off. I don't look back, I just carry moving my legs till I hit the train. A car is pulling right by me, perfect timing. I thrust my body to the side, sitting with my legs splayed out in front of me, nursing my muscles.

I know where to go when all this emotion is bubbling up inside me. Erudite. To see my brother.

I'm thankful for knowing more about routes and how to get out of the Dauntless compound. I feel very fidgety in the train car, I know I'm not meant to go out without a supervision. But at this moment, I feel like my insides have been ripped out of me. I can't understand why Four would do this to me. Is it some punishment for that night with Eric? Because it was such a low blow. I was so determined on trying not to show my divergence but he forced it. And now all I want to do is have my family hold me close and tell me it will all be okay. By leaving I've made myself more vulnerable to being factionless.

My mind races so much I have to take a deep breath and just tell myself to stop. That I've done what I've done, I cannot change it, there is no way of going back and changing something. No way of influencing something so situations are altered. It would be the butterfly effect.

My brother is going to think I'm a right state. I'm battered and bruised, he may not even recognize me. I jump off the car, it won't slow down till I'm too far in to the Erudite compound. I have to sneak in. I'm able to get by a few fences, heading in to the city center. People move to walk away from me in the street, their eyes bulging. I want to laugh, because I am the most tame version of a Dauntless. I don't have facial piercings, just the bruises give me away. I shrink away to the library. The holy house of those in Erudite. I saunter in, going up to the information desk. The library is absolutely huge. Stacks and stacks of shelves filled with endless supplies of books. I raise my head to see a hanging portrait of Jeanine Matthews and feel the bile rise in my throat. That woman was pure poison, the things she wrote about Abnegation and even my father in recent articles made me want to claw her eyes out. I wonder how Caleb felt about this. Or if he had even read the newspaper.

Of course he had. He's an Erudite. He would read anything. Thirst for knowledge knows no bounds.

"I want to speak to Caleb Prior," I speak with a tone of authority.

The receptionist, who has red hair, cut just beneath her chin. Glasses are perched on the bridge of her nose, she looks up through them with a piercing gaze.

"And you are?"

"I said, I want to speak to Caleb Prior. He is an initiate here."

"I'm afraid I can't process that."

I slam my fists on the table in front of her. It startles her, making her flinch away from me.

"You know what you won't be able to process-" I spit when I hear his voice behind me. It's hesitant, like he is approaching a feral animal. Maybe I am considered to be one.

"Beatrice?"

I turn round and see my brother. He looks different but still the same. He isn't my Caleb anymore that I grew up with, just as I'm not the sister he once had. His eyes are scanning all across my face, concern thick in his expression.

"I'm fine," I say trying to stop him looking any further. He doesn't need to know every single bruise and battering I have taken. I didn't get one of my eyes poked out.

"What - why are you here?"

"Not here, Caleb. Can we talk somewhere more... quiet?"

"There is no where else more quiet than the library."

I narrow my eyes at him.

"Caleb," I say in a warning tone. He lets down the guard he has put around himself, holding out a hand to me. I take his hand in mine like we did when we were kids, leading me out of the library. He leads me down over and across a park, taking us under a huge sculpture. It looks like a giant bean above us. I glance up, looking for cameras. It doesn't seem there are any. I decide to speak in as hushed tones as we can, there's always my foot to stamp in to his if he gets too loud. I don't know why our mother wants us to do this so bad, there are so many threads that haven't weaved together to make whatever finished product she is aiming for. I wonder if she is doing all of this behind my fathers back.

"Why did you come here?"

"Mom sent me," my mouth is screwed up at one side as I take his response in.

"She saw you?" It sounds like he has been stabbed in the heart.

"She came on visiting day."

"She didn't come to see me," he sniffs. Is he about to cry?

"She can't. If you haven't noticed, which would be surprising, there is rising tension between Abnegation and Erudite. Even before we left for different factions."

"Oh. What did Mom send you for?"

I lie to him. "She wanted to send her love firstly." I want to protect his feelings as much as possible. Lure him in to doing what our mother wanted him to do.

"But she also wanted you to look in to the serum they use for simulations."

"But why?" His head is cocked whilst looking at me, eyebrows screwing up.

"I don't know Caleb! I'm not you. You're the smart one, figure it out."

"Is that really all?"

"Yes. But you've got to understand," I lower my voice and lean in. "Mom wouldn't have made me come here during initiation if she didn't think it was of grave importance. You need to be secretive about this Caleb, can you do that? Can you promise me?"

"I promise. You sound so scared, Beatrice."

"It's Tris," I correct him.

His mouth turns in to a little o, looking at me. All he does in response is nod and tells me that he will do his best but I should go as soon as I can. I'm dragging too much attention to myself for someone who is here on a secret mission. He walks away in a direction that I'm unsure of. I don't know how to get back to the fence and to the train from here.

I have to wander about for a while, looking lost. I'm near the fences that I came over the first time when two guards step out in front of me, their arms crossed. They look very muscular, with guns slung over their shoulders. The steely look in their eye is disconcerting. The one on the left puts one finger against his ear as he speaks to an ear piece.

"We have her," he reports like a solider.

They go forward in one fluid moment, thick beefy arms locking around mine. I'm being dragged backwards, fighting against their arms. It's no use, they're too muscular and strong for me. I'm taken all the way to a huge building, several floors high. I think it's the highest building I have ever seen. I try and study the building to know what it is in the reflection in the shop window across the road. I'm taken in to an elevator, one of the guards hums a tune on the way up to our designated floor. I got to see more of Jeanine's face plastered around everywhere. Her face is the kind you want to slap, just because her whole personality is etched in to it. There is nothing to discover and nothing is hiding. It is all on show.

I hear that voice again as the guards take me in to a expensive looking office. There is a woman with blonde hair behind a computer desk.

"Beatrice Prior is it?" Her head pops out from behind the computer. She thanks the guards and tells me to sit down. I awkwardly do so.

I'm just staring at her in disbelief. I'm sat in front of Jeanine Matthews, just in utter shock. She is the woman from the other night that was trying to find out if I was a Divergent. And now I'm sitting in her office. The fly caught in the spiders web and nowhere to hide. I squirm in my seat trying not to give away everything. I can feel my palms getting sweaty again.

"Yes," I say curtly.

"And what are you doing here? If I'm correct, you are a Dauntless transfer. You should be in the Dauntless compound, not visiting your brother."

"I missed him," I try to say it without sounding guilty or like I'm lying.

"I don't believe it. What were you really here for?" Her eyes are slits as she surveys me and my responses.

"You should. It's the truth."

She leans forward on her table. He elbows are upon the table, perfectly manicured fingers resting under her chin.

"Could you answer me a question?" She asks, her voice sounding sickly.

"If that is all you really want from me, I see no problem."

"Do you know what Divergent means?"

I blink a few times at her. It's genuine, I'm surprised she came out with it so openly. I know where Eric's feed is coming from now. He's a traitor to his faction. So much for faction before blood. Or in this case, faction before faction. Stinking cheating liar.

I don't answer quick enough.

"Ms Prior, I asked you a question."

"Sorry, I'm confused. I don't know what that is, you threw me off track."

"Oh really? It seems odd, because your test scores seem to be manually put in to the computer. Unheard of for a computer system to crash, _every, single, time._"

"I really don't know what you're talking about Ms Matthews but I really would like to go home now." I called it home. It is the first real time I have called it that. If I had been standing, it would have swept me off my feet. It could not be my home for long now.

She looks at me like I am a piece of dirt on her shoe. She has an utter resentment towards my presence, a deep disgust. She calls a guard in, telling them to ascort me to a car which will take me back to the Dauntless compound. Before I leave, she turns around and says, "I'm sure Eric will be _delighted _to see you when you get back, Beatrice"

It sent shivers up my back. I hadn't been facing her. But I just knew, all the colour had gone out of my cheeks at that.

A guard puts his hand on top of my head, pushing it down awkwardly as he shoves me in the car. He sits down next to me, moving me further in to the car. I belt myself, not wanting his touch on me again. It's rough and demanding and I really don't appreciate it.

I keep as much physical distance as I can from the guard. I just stare out of the window, watching the world go by. The car smells like fresh leather, it's pungent and almost waxy. We don't make conversation, the driver doesn't even turn his head. It's a deadly silence in his car. On the way to Eric. To Four.

When the car pulls to a stop, the guard roughly pulls me back out, my shoulder jerked upwards at a painful angle. I can see Eric's figure, shoulders back, chin tipped upwards, steely gaze. I only make eye contact for a second before staring down at the floor. It is an act of submission and I hate it but maybe, just maybe this will make it less worse.

"I'll take it from here," Eric says. His voice is that of a commanding leader. We are upon the roof top, my feet scuttle at the dust, making it swirl at our feet.

He waits till the guard has left us, the sound of the car driving off in to the distance.

"Look at me," he pipes up.

I don't move my face, only look up at him through my eyelashes, staring to the side of his head.

"I said, look at me!"

His hand grabs out and I take a step back defensively. I can hear the rough intake of his breath, fury developing in his body.

"You've become very unyielding as of late, dear Tris."

For every approach he takes towards me, I take one back. We have done this for so many steps that my foot doesn't meet solid ground as I drag it back. It hits thin air and I fall forward, my hands fisting in to Eric's t-shirt in panic. His hands clamp on to my shoulders.

Except he doesn't pull him towards me, in a very controlled manner, his grip strong upon me, he pushes me back so my body is tipping off the ledge. The panic must be in my face as he looks delighted.

"You might think that you have got one over on me, that I will go in to the distance but you are gravely wrong."

My feet are just on their tip toes of the ledge. I pull harder on his shirt.

"Now what you did today was _very_ naughty. In fact, if you were _just _an initiate to me, I would say we would hang you over the chasm for a while. But I can think of better things that we could do."

"I'm not letting you touch me again."

Only one tip toe left on the roof. He hasn't got a good enough grip to support me if I fall. I know I'm a prize to him though with my divergence, even if I don't want him to know that. He can't kill me, not just yet.

"I don't want that... yet," he smirks at me. I claw my fingers in to his chest, digging in hard in response. "No, I want you to break Four's heart. I want you to take it and crush it."

I just stare at him.

"I won't do that."

"Do you want to be dropped Tris? Because you're heading that way."

"No," I say meekly.

"Then do what I say. Break. His. Heart."

* * *

So what do you think? Where you expecting Eric to make that evil move? He just gets worse and worse. ;) Till next time!


	12. Chapter 12

Some of you will love this, some of you will scream and think Eric is one evil jackass. Either way, I love hearing your thoughts. :)

Note: I do not own these characters or the world/novel by Veronica Roth.

* * *

"Pardon?" I ask. I look at him like he is a mad man. It is true though, he is a mad man. Eric is losing it.

"Don't play stupid, Tris, it's not an attractive trait upon you," he raises an eyebrow at me, his whole expression is one of a frustrated, yet bored man.

"I don't think it's even necessary. But I know you, you'd already of heard what happened in the simulation room."

He chuckles. Actually chuckles. Something I wouldn't place on him, he'd be laughing sadistically or not at all.

"If you think that's the end to what you both have, you're more out of your depth than you even know."

"I don't want to see him."

Eric yanks me away from the free edge, I topple in to him. I straighten up, taking my hands off of his chest. I take a step to the side, making a physical distance to the ledge.

"Just having a lovers tiff?"

My eyes narrow at him as I adjust my clothing, plucking at the fabric so it stops sticking to the small of my back. My back is wet with sweat from the adreneline that had started to pump in my body.

"I don't think we are lovers."

Eric rolls his eyes. "You just confirmed it, you are way out of your depth."

This throughs me off, I look at him with confusion. I want to ask him more, I just don't want to discuss my personal life with someone like _Eric._

"Why do you want me to break him so badly?"

"Because an emotionally crippled Four is what I like to see," his voice matches the sadistic smile that is creeping up his face.

I throw my arms to the side out of annoyance. "There is more to it than Eric, I know it! I don't know what you have planned, nor do I want to know. Not really. When it comes down to it, you can't force someone to do something without giving them something in return."

He approaches me in seconds, his fingers winding around my wind pipe. I let out a strangled cry, clawing at his fingers. The air is being cut off, a dry burning starting in my lungs.

"There is nothing I have to give to you in return. Not unless you went to get under my bed covers again."

My eyes squeeze shut, hot tears prickling at the tear ducts. My fingernails are scratching at him as my mind is starting to feel foggy. The dizziness enters my world, feeling like I am spinning on a carousel going too fast.

"Now I want no more back chat. I've had enough of your antics."

My eyes flash open to meet his steady eyes. My fingers jab out at his shoulder wound, twisting when making impact. He releases my neck and I fall on to my knees, the skin grazing against the roof. My hands go to my throat, trying to massage it. I keep dry coughing, feeling the dizziness starting to go. It's replaced with dark spots across my vision.

I hear Eric's voice calling me a curse word that my eyelids retract more at. I see something out of the corner of my vision, moving fast towards me. It collides and makes a sickening impact in to my stomach. I cough harder, my knees slide out under me as my face hits in to the rough ground. His foot stamps down on to my spine, keeping me pinned down on the floor. I cough and something warm makes it's way up, tasting of pennies. I spit it out as soon as it hits my tongue, blood spattering in front of me.

"You just don't learn do you?" His foot twists just like my fingertips had in to the bones of my spine.

I open my mouth to speak and his voice stops me.

"No, you listen to me now. I'm telling you, if you carry on the way you're going, it won't just be one of your initiates that end up dead. Maybe your brother might end up dead too."

I can't help it, I start to speak again and words come out this time. "I don't believe you.

He stomps his foot harder, my wounded stomach pressing painfully in to the ground.

"Oh, you're thinking just because he is in a different faction that I won't and can't do it? Think about who you met today Tris. It's your move next, think wisely."

A piece of technology lands next to my feet. I can see a camera feed displayed on it, Caleb standing in a group of people, chatting away happily to them. He doesn't even know he's being watched.

The skin on my cheek gets cut as I awkwardly move my neck so I can move my face to meet the side he stands at. My eyes squint up at him, there is still some flecks of sunlight left in the sky. They blind one eye it's so bright. My face has become sullen, giving in.

Submission.

Eric seems just as Jeanine had said, delighted. He looks like he was just given a puppy for his birthday. He doesn't help me get up when the pressure of his foot leaves my back. He just watches as I struggle to sit on the back of my thighs. I place a hand to the side of me, using the force I create by pushing up to compensate for my unsteadiness. The last thing I'd want is to actually fall off the ledge by myself because I couldn't find proper footing when I got up.

I spit out the remainder of blood that is in my mouth. I wipe the back of my hand against my lips, taking away the warm liquid. I don't look to see how much blood there is, just wipe it straight down on my clothing. The dark fabric won't show up the blood.

"How do I break him?" I ask as pain hits my chest. I think it's in compensation for my stomach. Except the muscles in my chest don't seem to be tightening, it just feels like it is. A phantom pain. The same pain I just experienced when he threatened Caleb's life. Caring for someone. This is what happened when you cared for someone. I care for Four. And now I have to break him. To make it believable, all at the amusement of Eric.

"You say the most vile things you can to him. You disregard his feelings. You don't care, you don't think, you don't even look at him. Imagine how it would be if one of your parents disowned you. How hurt you'd be."

"I think my father already has."

"Of course he has," his voice is harsh. "Faction is _always_ before blood."

"Is that really all there is to it? That will work?" A lump starts to form in my throat.

We stand there as Eric thinks hard. I can almost see the cogs turning inside his head, thinking of the most hideous things he can. His eyes sparkle as _that_ smile appears.

"I know just what you can do."

He steps forward. I look at his face and dread washes over me like a huge tidal wave to rocks on a shore.

"I'm not touching you Eric."

His head cocks to the side, in that predatory way. "I wonder how Al would like the bottom of the chasm?"

I swear at him, fists clenching so I make indents with my fingernails in the skin of my palm. I close my eyes to take a deep breath, taking in a steady composure.

"Fine."

"I'm not going to do the hard work for you, this time Tris." His tongue flicks against his teeth. "I expect a good show," his eyebrows waggle at me. He moves away from me to the edge of the room that drops down on to the net. His head turns when I don't follow.

"Well you can't stay up here all day," he states. He jumps and I sigh, shaking my body out. The feeling of falling, the air rushing around me makes that dark pit in my stomach feel a reality. I bounce on the net and roll to the edge, pulling myself up on to solid ground. Welcome to my new life. One where Four is going to hate me.

It's not long that we have just put out feet down that the door the leads in to the compound slams open. I can see the darkness of the pit behind the figure, knowing who it is without having to look. I can sense him. My eyes flicker to his face to see the corner of his jaw already starting to bruise, a slight swelling to it. A pang of guilt hits me.

"Tris? Where the hell did you go? I've been looking for you everywhere!"

My eyes narrow, trying out my most venomous glare. It takes him by surprise as his head moves backwards, as if the further the distance he is away from my stare, the less it will show.

"Tris went to see her brother," Eric says.

"She's not allowed to do that, she knows that."

"Stop calling me she! I do have a name, _Four._" A flash of pain goes across his face as I draw out the name he doesn't want me to use. It's cutting me up every word, every look I give him. He's taken aback. His mouth just keeps opening and closing without anything coming out of it.

"Where is this all coming from?"

"I don't know need to explain myself to you. Go away."

His feet dig in to the ground, arms crossed. He's being stubborn, acting like a child that is throwing a tantrum. He looks at me like he doesn't care if he has to wage a war to find out.

"I'm not leaving."

My mind is whizzing, so many options, so many thoughts rushing around. I try to pluck at them and they just disappear in to a puff of mental thought. I wish he wasn't so stubborn, wasn't forcing me to do this. That he could just accept I was angry at him and leave.

"Fine then," I say. He looks at me, he has a yearning and sorrowful expression. He's genuinely sorry about earlier. I don't know what motive pushed him to place me in that fear, it doesn't stop that I am annoyed at him. It doesn't change that but at least I know he wasn't just trying to be malicious and get back at me for that night.

And now I'm going to go and blow all of that. Now he really is going to get angry at me.

I turn my back to him, sauntering over to Eric. He takes me in, eyes flicking across my body. I hate the way he does this, looking at me like I am just a piece of meat. To him I am. I'm having an internal battle with myself, one side screaming to not do this, Four will get hurt. The opposition screams at me that my brother was there my entire life, Four has been here for just a few weeks. Family comes first.

With my height, I have to step on to my tip toes to reach Eric's face. I'm thankful that I'm not facing Four, so he can't see the glassiness to my eyes, the tears that are creating a watery film. I close them, my hand brushing against Eric's cheek. My other hand winds around the back of his waist.

My chin tips up and I press my lips to Eric's. I can feel the saltiness of a tear on my lips, on his lips as we battle for dominance.

_It's all for show, it's all for show, it's all for show._ Keep repeating that, just get by this.

I know by now Four's face will have turned from one of a stand off to icy cold and confused.  
_  
It's all for show, it's all for show, it's all for show._

My tongue flicks out, meeting Eric's. He tastes of scotch, it's burnt caramelized taste upon his tongue softens against mine. His hands at at my waist, finger tips swirling patterns in to the fabric against my skin.

_It's all for show, it's all for show, it's all for show._

I don't hear his footsteps, he's so quiet the only tale tell sign that he has left is the banging of the door. It snaps my mind open but I know I can't stop. If he double backs to test us, to see if this is just some ploy... I can't give it away like that. If I was religious, I'd send a silent prayer hoping that one day Four could forgive me and see my reasoning.

When I know he's not coming back, which lasts for quite a few minutes in which Eric had become very heated. So much for not taking the lead.

I put my hands against his chest and pull back. My breath is coming out in shallow pants. Eric's hair is tousled, his face warm. His eyes still show that he has absolute no interest in me, that there is a similar mute attraction.

"You don't always have to like or love someone to enjoy getting it on with them," he notes when he realizes I'm about to ask. It cuts me short. He's enjoying this. I close my eyes in disgust, face cringing, the familiar pain of my nose causing a small stinging sensation.

His lips press against mine, a small fluttering. My eyes open and his mouth is hovering mere millimeters, his bottom lip almost brushing mine.

"Don't pretend you don't enjoy it too," he retracts away from me, doing that chuckle again. He walks out, leaving me there. The air has become colder in the time we have been out here, darkness spreading across the sky like a blanket draping over the sun.

All I want to do is lay on the net and sob my heart out.

So I give in to self indulgence.

* * *

Reasoning for a slightly smaller chapter is I felt this deserved it's stand alone chapter, without any other interludes. I hope you enjoyed reading!


	13. Chapter 13

I am so sorry this has taken so long to upload. I had a week that just got worse as it progressed and nearly lost someone. So I didn't have time to write really! But here goes. :) I am still continuing this, I haven't given up - don't worry!

Note: I do not own these characters or the world/novels created by Veronica Roth.

* * *

I lay on the net until the air begins to cool to the point I'm now shivering. I wipe my face clean, sniffing. I feel so emotionally drained my mind feels dull and empty. I take myself to the dormitory, my feet dragging. I flop down on the bed, rolling to face the wall, ignoring Christina's voice. She doesn't give up and comes to sit at the end of the bed, her legs folding. I can feel her stare on me. I turn my head to look at her cautiously.

"Al says he's really sorry," Christina says, eyes flicking up to the bed above me. It creaks. Al's laying there.

"I don't care what he thinks. He's vile and I refuse to forgive him." My breathing is hard, the spark of anger weaving it's way in to my drained head.

I see feet drop down the side of the bed, a body shuffling away out of the room.

"I don't think I could either. I don't think I forgive him even for what he did to you," Christina says once Al is out of the room. She looks at me with her mouth screwed up at the side, biting in to it. We stay silent and I close my eyes in the end, allowing everything to wash over me, sending me in to a deep sleep.

It doesn't last long. It might have been deep, but the sleep was short lived. I slugishly get out of bed, walking out in to the darkness. I step cautiously, finding my way out of memory. I slipped on some combat boots so have to be careful to not make a thudding sound.

I make my way to the pit, resting my lower arms on the railings as I watch the water crash against the rocks. My face feels tight from all the crying I did. I feel ashamed now for letting myself get to this point. Ideas of what Eric wants from Four's destruction just don't form in my head. The reasoning behind it is Divergence, sure. It's a curiosity that kills the cat. I don't want to be that cat.

I'm in my own world so much that I don't notice it when arms come to rest on the railing next to me. I look up next to me, dread filling in to the pit of my stomach when I see his face. The face that always looks so pained when his eyes meet mine.

"Tris," he whispers to me. It's filled with yearning.

I gulp down the part of me that wants to just wrap my arms around him and say that I am sorry. Instead I turn harsh and cold. Be an ice Queen.

"_Four_, what do you want?"

"I know this isn't real."

"Sure, you're right. Me liking you isn't real."

He looks at me sternly, bending his head down. His face is close to mine, making my heart start to hammer in my chest. I step back to distance us, he sighs in response.

"Could you come with me? Is that... allowed?"

I consider it. I want to.

"I know you shouldn't, but please."

I let out a mute nod. Perhaps it's just the heart break I had to go through earlier, the pain that filled my chest that makes me want to do it. I feel less worried about my future and life when I'm around him. He doesn't touch me but leads me through passageways I haven't walked down before. They're deserted, pretty much everywhere is at this hour. But these passageways are dusty, crumbling like they've been forgotten about, letting time just age them.

We stand outside the simulation room. I look at him confused. Four takes out a key, unlocking the door. He sits down on one of the rows of seats. He pats the one next to him gently. I sit down, crossing my legs.

"What did you want?"

"I... I just want it to go back to what it was. I'm sorry."

"You can't, I don't want to."

"That's a lie and you know it. You're just being fed these words."

"When are you going to get it Four?!"

"Don't call me Four!" He snaps. He takes a deep breath, a vein in his head throbbing.

"Why not? That's your name isn't it?" I spit the words at him.

"No. It's not. If you'd just stop fighting against me maybe you'd let me show you why I'm called that." He massages the vein.

"And how exactly are you meant to do that? Show me your simulation?" I jokingly laugh.

His face is serious. "Yes."

It's not a good idea. I press it further though, intrigued.

"Then what is your real name?"

"The better question is, what faction I came from."

I just look at him, waiting for him to continue. He lets out a puff of air, his hand flopping down on to his lap.

"I'm a transfer. From Abnegation."

This shocks me. I didn't expect that he would come from somewhere like that. It just seems not the right faction. Although time and time again he displays those selfless actions. He shouldn't be able to do that unless he was Divergent.

"I'm sure you'll remember this story. The one of an Abnegation boy, leaving his father, shocking the town, it being totally unexpected..."

And that's when I remember it. Marcus' son left a few years ago. Long enough ago that the time would match up with Four coming here. I rack my brain for the name, the son that he never speaks of, never acknowledges his existence anymore. Just like how my father will do to me.

"Tobias," I whisper. I look at him in a new light. One where his mother passed away, leaving him with an uncaring, allegedly abusive man.

He nods, looking away from me. The pain is back on his face but for once, not caused by me. Tobias reaches under his seat to pull out a box. He looks at me cautiously as he takes out a needle.

"So are you willing? Or are you too afraid?"

It hits me. The last sentence is so cutting, it would haunt me if I didn't do what he said. I need to push him away but I don't have the strength to right now. When Eric is in the room, the constant threatening gets to me enough to spur me forward. I don't know when I will learn. Never, when I'm with Tobias. He still wants to try and work through this.

The thought of becoming factionless goes through my head again.

I take the needle from the open box, jabbing it in to my neck quickly. I wince as the burning starts to settle in to my body. Tobias follows suit, a small smile creeping across his lips.

"Thank you," he whispers. We take the floor, closing our eyes.

"I hope this shows..." He can't say the rest of the sentence. My mouth goes dry, the implication of his words choking me.

When I open my eyes, I face Tobias on the top of a roof. His whole body looks restricted, the colour draining from his face. His arms dart out to grab on to me.

"Don't fall!"

I look behind me and realize how close to the edge we are. I look back to him and suddenly everything clicks in to place. The ferris wheel, the zip lining. He's afraid of heights. I shake my head, not suspecting this would actually be in his simulation.

"It's okay. We're okay. You're safe."

My words don't reassure him and calm his heart rate down. He starts rambling things to me, not making any sense. He's acting delirious, the fake height getting to him. If he's divergent, he shouldn't have a problem. My eyebrows furrow, seeing that he's clearly not under control.

I place a hand over his on my arm. His eyes lock with mine, his lip quivering. I try and not look at it but can't avoid it. I compare in my head the difference it would be to kiss Tobias and not Eric.

"You either slow your heart rate down, or you over come it. Tobias, you need to jump."

He protests, shaking his head at me like a scared child. I don't take no for an answer and go to the very edge, the tip of my toes off the roof. He's shakey and pale as he walks.

"Please," he begs. I tell him to be brave, like he told me. His fingers wind around mine and we both look at each other.

"Just close your eyes and jump," I whisper to him. I wait, making sure he does as I say. I step forward and bring him forward with me. He starts to scream.

We fall.

We hit in to open ground, smacking in to a hole.

My back thuds down on to something cushioned. Like a bed. I look above me to see Four's body upon mine. We are confined. I stare past him to see walls of dirt above us. We are not just in to a hole, we are in a grave.

Which means we must be in a coffin. Which scares even me. Is he scared of being buried alive?

The coffin lid smacks down on to the back of Four, blocking out all of the light. I can feel his breath on my face, tickling my skin. He's panting, his hands are trembling next to my body. Tobias' form against mine isn't like the crushing weight of Eric. He's soft and warm, all the curves of his body molding in to mine. I try and not get wrapped up in this moment. At least Eric won't be able to see this.

"Tobias," I say in to the darkness. I can feel the press of his forehead against mine, the shaking getting worse. When I take hold of his hands, he is sweaty.

"Are you scared of confined spaces?"

His voice is juttery. It breaks up as he talks. "I - I used to h-hide in the wardrobe-"

"Well, was anyone in there with you when this fear developed?"

"No."

"I'm here. That's different. You're with someone. I can help calm you."

I can feel his lips hovering above mine, practically brushing them.

"So shall we try that?" I ask.

He lets out a sigh with a groan, letting me know that he is willing. I tell him to match my breathing, slow and steady. It takes some time but he eventually is starting to calm down. His palms seem to not be producing more sweat. His breath is elongated when it hits my face, sending goose bumps up my body every time.

It must work well enough because we are now standing. It makes me feel dizzy, the uprightness making my head lol around on my shoulders.

Four's standing in front of a woman, with Eric next to him. Eric looks even more nasty in his simulation. Eric comes forward, pressing a gun in to Tobias' hand. I don't recognise the woman, she's almost faceless.

Eric speaks. "Shoot her."

Tobias' head whips around looking at me with a very queasy expression. The gun looks large in his hands, a hulking big death machine. Eric stands next to me, his hands winding around my waist. I try to push him away but he has even more of an iron clad grip on me. It's like being encased with metal.

"I said shoot her!" He screams. Tobias points the gun at Eric in annoyance.

"No!"

"Look at me," I say to Tobias. It stops him in his tracks, his face turning upside down.

"Just breathe."

"I can't. I never can get past this by calming down."

"Then shoot her. If you shoot her you know it's not real. Don't you?"

He doesn't answer but places the gun to the woman's head. She doesn't scream or try to push him away. The bang sounds, ringing in both of our ears. The confirmation of him doing this tells me he is a divergent, he just doesn't want to say.

The surroundings change again. We are in a house similar to the one I left back home. I look around the room, trying to take everything in. This will probably be the last time I will ever see something like my childhood home again.

It's not my childhood home though.

Marcus enters the room, looking less aged than he does now.

"You deserve this," he mutters angrily. He starts to fiddle at his belt buckle, unwinding it from all the loops in his trousers. It makes a swooshing noise as he takes it from the last loop, leather slapping in too his hand.  
He looks menacing, that look that Eric gets in his eyes. Tobias is shrinking back behind me, fingernails digging in to the skin of his thigh.

"Boy, come here!" He shouts. He becomes impatient, closing the distance between us. He brings the belt back in the air, a whipping noise cutting the air as it flicks against Tobias' skin.

A scream comes from his throat as a bloody welt appears on his skin. I can't help but stare. I feel my bones are stiff, my muscles like blocks of ice. The allegations of abuse were real. I'm so distracted by this coming to life that Tobias takes several more lashings in this time. My face screws up, jumping forward.

"Stop it! You're just a bully!"

Marcus doesn't care. He doesn't stop. The leather belt smacks against the skin of my face, splitting it. I can feel the blood start to leak, making tracks down my face.

It brings Tobias out of his scared state. He shouts out at his father.

"I am not afraid of you!"

The room disappears. I'm feel like I should be falling forward, from the pain of the lashing I took. Instead I am on my knees with something cooling pressing against my head. Maybe I did really get a wound from it? It just doesn't make any sense. My eyes flash open, to see Eric standing before me. My eyes shoot to the side, Tobias sitting in fear.

Eric's pressing the barrel of a gun to my head.

"You never learn."

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DUN DUN DUN. ;)


	14. Chapter 14

**I promise that I am still very much dedicated to this story. Some pretty awful things keep happening so I don't have as much time for writing. So might be shorter chapters but more frequent if you'd guys prefer? Or wait longer and get a big one? It's your choice, you're reading it! Let me know :)**

Note: I do not own these characters or the novels/world created by Veronica Roth.

* * *

I can feel the trickle of beads of sweat at my nape. My vision is cross eyed, keeping my gaze fixated on the barrel of the gun. I can smell something quite distinctive from it. Where the bullets fire, leaving that smoky smell.

Out of the corner of my eyes, I can see Tobias trying to get up. He's very slow in his movement, like a creeping panther that has found it's target.

"I wouldn't try that," Eric barks out in a gruff voice.

Tobias doesn't respond in the right way. He lurches forward, trying to go for Eric's waist. I watch as the barrel of the gun moves from my face. Panic rushes through me, my heart thumping in my chest. He's going to shoot Tobias. I open my mouth to shout a warning to him.

Solid metal thrashes down against my cheek. I can almost imagine just how red and welthing it will go. My neck snaps to the side to try and lessen the impact instictively. I'm looking down at the floor, tear ducts stinging. I take a deep breath, sniffling. I move only my eyes to try and watch Eric.

"Don't you dare touch her."

Eric's eyebrow cocks, lip turning in to a thin sly, smile. He raises the gun futher back this time, I close my eyes before it crashes back against my skin. The whoosh of air makes my body tense. I wait for the sensation but when it doesn't come, my eyes pop open. It's mere millimeters from my face.

"Don't move, don't speak." Eric shouts at him. The gun jabs in to the temple of my forehead. He presses it with such force I can feel its crushing weight against my skull. Tobias eases back down to the floor, his hands out in front of him, showing he's not going to try anything. Waving the white flag.

"You, up." Eric's hand points to me, flicking his finger to the cieling. I put my hands against the cold floor, pushing up. My legs feel like jelly. The pain in my face is dizzying. I can feel the lurching of my stomach, feeling like I'm about to collapse back down.  
I stumble blindly, my hands going out protectively in front of my body.

I can feel his rough, calloused hands wrap around the muscle near my armpit. The barrel doesn't even move. It might as well be glued to the side of my face.

I lick my lips, feeling the dryness that has caused cracks in them. Eric pulls me around, I get a glimpse of Tobias. His whole body is giving off a body language that would turn anyone to stone. Except Eric.  
My back thuds in to his chest. He adjusts the guns pressure, softening slightly. My neck is straining as my face is tilted up in the crook of his collarbones. His hand presses to my stomach, keeping my body tight to him. Trapped in a prison, the inner of his elbow right on the curve of my hip bone. I can feel the negative energy his body emits all the time.

He's slowly moving us backward. My feet bump in to his shoes as I'm trying to keep an even footing. We are now on the opposite side of the room to Tobias. His eyes are now watchful upon me.

Eric head cocks to the side, speaking to himself. "You can come in."

He's speaking in to a mouth piece. There is a crackling sound that comes back in reply. People bustle in. Tobias' body looks like it's a tiger ready to pounce.

A woman saunters in, hips swaying side to side. Her hair is a short black bob, lips like Snow White. Her fingernails are like claws. A few men stride in behind her, guns slung over their shoulders. I am frozen in place as the woman reaches Tobias. She bends over, extends a claw to his face, tracing her finger over his cheek, down to his chin. She flicks it off his face in one hard sweeping motion.

I can't hear what they're saying but by the look on Tobias' face he knows who she is. She looks around his age, perhaps a year or two older at most. The men with guns stand a distance away from Tobias, their stances menacing.

Eric's lips touch my ear, his breath warming. I can feel the red hot tickle of the tips of my ears burning.

"Not the only one Four wanted to get heated with," Eric whispers seductively. I internally shiver.

Tobias has lost focus on me now. He's in a deep discussion with the woman. I can't even tell if it's hushed, from this distance it sounds it. His facial movements look like it's more heated than I thought.

The woman puts her arm out and Tobias forcefully shoves it out of his way, rejection on his face. Eric's prison around my body squeezes me to him. I can feel the warmth of his body against my back, yet I stay rigid and cold.

The woman barks out an order to the men, who promtly surround Tobias, grabbing on to him. He kicks out, trying to escape but can't. One of the men raises his gun off his shoulder, aiming it at Tobias' body.

"Looks like he doesn't do what he's told either," Eric's voice intrudes my thoughts.

They start hauling Tobias away. His head whips around trying to look at me. His face looks more fearsome the fact that I am being left with Eric than his own fate. One of the men forces his head around with brutality.

I'm pushing against Eric's grip with all my might, legs kicking out in front of me. My body only lifts as Eric's body keeps me trapped in this prison. The gun keeps butting against my skull in my struggle.

The woman stops just outside the door, turning to face me. She smiles wickedly, slowly waving her fingers at me in a taunting fashion. There is a flash of teeth between the ruby red lips. She turns and saunters out of there just as she had come in.

Eric's grunting at me, trying to calm me down.

"You're only making this harder for yourself!" He says through gritted teeth.

My training tells me if I turn at the right angle, I could grab the gun from Eric. I have to be quick about it. I pull my arms to crisscross each other, pushing forward. It breaks Eric's arm around my stomach, then twist round. My elbow smacks him in to the jaw, his head snapping backwards. I bite his hand and he releases the gun. It falls and I catch it, finger looping round to place on the trigger. I press it hard in to his head, my face feeling tight. His eyes watch me carefully.

I can feel the wobble in my arms, my fingers shaking. I don't hold the gun as confidently as I should be.

"You won't shoot me."

I say the words venomously, surprising myself. "Don't think you know me. You know _nothing_ about me."

That slimy thin lipped grin takes over his face.

He's watching me like a hawk. Everything that happens is so fast that I'm not quick enough in defense.  
Eric's jolts out to me, his hand snaps my wrist around, it bends back painfully but I don't hear any snapping, only tears pricking my eyes.

A loud noise rips through the room.

A bullet rips through the skin of my shoulder.

A searing hot pain spreads out as I finally react. I look down in shock, fumbling about. The bullet skimmed the edge of my skin, cutting it open. It didn't go through my shoulder. It isn't fatal.

The screaming isn't just mine. I can hear Tobias' cutting through my screams, yelling my name out to me outside the door. The screams fade away, dying down.

My body is struggling to keep me up, I feel like I'm going to fall backwards.

But I'm not falling backwards, I'm being pushed. The familiar feeling of a cold wall smacks in to my spine. It's happened so much now within Eric's presence that I almost come to suspect it.

My vision is blurring, going to a gray, deeping to black overwhelming me. I close my eyes to stop the nauseating vision.

I'm grunting in pain, lips parted as a constant stream of noise tumbles out.

It's the last thing I expect. Soft lips pressing to me, hands clutching at my face. It stops my screaming in its tracks. I feel frozen once more, not sure how to react. This feels different. I'm not being kissed to make Tobias jealous or angry.

Eric stops, taking his face away from me. I open my eyes, black dots swimming in my vision. He's looking down at me with something that isnt scrutinity.

"What was that for?" I say breathlessly. The kiss did quite literally catch my breath. But my body is working overtime for the pain that is spreading in my shoulder.

"It was to shut you up, nothing more," Eric says. His voice sounds unsteady, like he isn't telling the truth. He pulls at the fabric of my shirt and I start to fight against him, protesting. I can hear the cotton split as he examines the wound he caused.

"It's superficial, you'll be fine for tomorrow."

"Why do _you_ care so much for tomorrow? What are you doing to To-Four?" I nearly said his name out. I just hope Eric thinks I have developed a stutter.

"I care for finalizing your divergence. You have exciting things in the future for you," he says menacingly.

"Where is Four?" I scream in his face. I don't want him to kill him.

Eric's finger touches the tip of my nose, bopping it.

"Where. Is. He?"

His finger presses against my lips. I narrow my eyes at him.

"In all due time, Tris."

* * *

**The mystery of where Tobias is going will be explained soon! :)**


	15. Chapter 15

**So we shall go for slightly smaller chapters but more frequently. :) Do let me know though if you would like for me to write up longer scenes for certain bits, as I'm quite happy to give it a go - I know how annoying it can be when there is a bit you wish there was more of!**

Note: I do not own these characters or the world/novels by Veronica Roth.

* * *

"Let me tie something around that shoulder," he says.

"I thought _you_ said it wasn't serious."

"It isn't. That doesn't mean it's not bleeding," he frowns. His lips purse when he does, not amused.

His fingers go to pull at the already ripped fabric of my shirt. I flinch away instinctively from his touch. His body being so closely pressed to mine makes it impossible to turn to protect myself. There is a frustrated sigh and something said under his breath. I catch the word "ungrateful."

"Yes, that's me. Ungrateful to the person who _shot_ me."

Anger flashes through his eyes, lighting them on fire. His hands touch at the seam of the shirt he's wearing, ripping it fast and with a handful of aggression. Taking it in one hand, Eric tries to pin my shoulder against the wall with the other hand. He's none too lightly about it.

I try to wiggle away, only to find his touch more firm. The way my shoulder has been pinned causes my whole posture to straighten by inches. I wince as his fingertips skim the place the bullet hit me. He wraps the piece of fabric around my arm twice before looking at me with a curiosity.

"Are you going to try and move if I let go of your shoulder?"

"No," I lie.

It would be stupid not to try and run. The pressure on my shoulder releases, I push forward with my remaining strength, smacking in to his body and forearm. His elbow caught me in the windpipe as he'd thrown it up to stop me.

A grunt of pain escapes my lips as he pulls the fabric in to a tight knot. I start to massage my throat with my hand that isn't sore. I can feel something wet sliding down my neck. Tears? I pull my fingers away gingerly to see red liquid. My mind flashes back to everything that has happened this evening.

The gun hitting my face. My wound must still be bleeding. I don't dare touch it, I could set an infection starting and that's the last thing I need.

Eric's eyes are still watching me.

"Why did you have to do that?"

"It instilled enough fear in to him. You make it far too easy," he says matter of factly.

"You seem to like hitting young girls with guns. Hobby of yours?"

His eyes narrow. "Hardly young, there is only a two year difference."

"And you're avoiding the question," I say with a false smile.

His head bobs down lower to meet level with mine. It's hard to keep eye contact without going cross eyed.

"If you like it _that_ way, I'm sure we could arrange something," he says in what would be a playful tone if it weren't for the violence involved in the statement.

I make a disgusted sound and claw at his forearm. He continues to let me try for several minutes, letting me get to the point of an exasperated sigh.

"Just let me go!"

"So you can try and find lover boy?"

"Let me go!"

"No."

My mouth screws up at him. The pain in my nose doesn't tingle, it must be healing. Not to say the massive welt in my face hasn't now just replaced the pain.

"Let me god damn -"

Eric's palm smacks in to the wood inches over from my left ear. It sends that ear in to a chorus of impact of his skin against the wood sounds as if the wood took the splintering, rather than his flesh.

"_When are you going to get it_?" His voice has controlled menace

I don't speak. My mouth is parted in to a small O, stunned. My cheeks flush in shock.

"I own you Tris. No two ways about it."

"I'm not your slave."

"If that's what you consider being owned by, then yes. Yes you are." His hand trails across the line of my jaw, fingertips staying just underneath my chin.

The disgusted note in my voice comes out again.

"Don't act like that Tris. Don't think I haven't seen you staring at my lips the entire time."

My eyes flash to his. I'd been avoiding as much eye contact as I could, now only making it worse for myself.

He scoffs a laugh, moving just enough for me to inch out of his personal space.

"Uh - uh," he says, causing me to stop in my tracks. "I'll escort you back to the dormitories, after all - you'll need your sleep for tomorrow." I swear I caught the glimpse of a wink. One that held "I know _much_ more than you do," in it.

I keep my arms guarding my body as I walk in time with Eric. His eyes are locked on my body and the movements it makes the enitre way back. He doesn't take me the whole way in. I wait, watching him before I open the door.

Erics hand reaches out, hand contacting with my bottom. "Move."  
My body jumps up in response, scurrying away. My mind is reeling with where they are taking Four. If he's still alive, if he's being tortured, if he's safe... if he's with that woman. She looks familiar but doesn't. I must of seen her around the Dauntless camp, her whole posture screamed out our faction.

I collapse in to a bundled heap in the dormitories, collapsing in to a fitful sleep.

My body is being jerked side to side. I can't process what's going on, eyes bleary, trying to rub out the sleepy dust from them. I yawn and roll over to see who is waking me up. I meet Christina's face. She has no colour to her face, looking very sickly. Her touch is cold. Her whole appearance is ghostly. She hasn't had time to brush her hair, it resembles the early stages of a birds nest.

"What is it?" I groan at her. My voice is hoarse. I wonder if I was shouting out in my sleep. My mind immediately takes me to Tobias. I jolt up from the bed, ripping the sheets from my body.

Christina's throat swallows down a lump. She speaks in such a tiny voice, so unlike her that the rush of panic and fear is lighting my veins up.

"They found a body at the end of the ch-chasm." Her eyes become glassy.

I grab a pair of foots, shoving my feet in to them. I don't spend the time of tying them neatly. I thud behind her, my knees feeling like they are made of steel, dragging me down to the floor with every step.

We just hit the pit floor as a small group of our initiate class starts milling in. News must be spreading fast. I know _he_ is there, watching two Dauntless members pulling on rope, a body rising with every tug. Eric continues to bark orders at them, asking if they can determine who the person is yet.

This is all for show. He knows who it is. It's Tobias.

A rare habbit for me but my teeth find my fingernails, starting to rip at them. Every tug of that rope feels like a knife piercing my heart.

The body reaches the metal wiring of the fence, thudding against it. I turn my head away so I don't make it worse for myself.

"So?" Eric says, his tone irritated.

"Oh god," Christina cries. A splutter of tears come out as she takes hold of my arm. "It's Al. He -" The sobs grow louder as she buries her head in to my shoulder. I bite down hard on my lip, tasting blood. She just nestled in to where the bullet hit.

I let myself look now. I can feel the wet film start to cover my eyes in relief for it not being Tobias. The pressure that felt like a clobbering great boot pressing down on my ribcage releases. I let out a puff of air, it comes out in a mist, dissipating in to the air like smoke.

My eyes very slowly, calmly travel to Eric's face. They meet his, locking in a gaze of knowing.

"Must be a suicide, happens every year," he uses that matter of fact tone. Like you can't argue with it, that it's just stated and you get on with whatever he says. The corners of his mouth flick up ever so lightly, not forming a full smile. His mouth forms words, whilst not saying them.

"A present for you."

I let Christina sob in to my shoulder, bringing me down on to the floor in a crumpled heap. Will joins us, he rubs soothing circles in to her back as he tries to stifle sniffing, wiping his eyes like a tired infant.

I don't fully form the real time events of it all, only reflecting when we sit in the cafeteria. None of us really eat, we just push the food around glumly. I don't have as much emotion as I should. I feel full to the brim with worry for Tobias, there is no space for any sadness for Al. If there even was any to have. I don't know how I really feel about the situation, he could of killed me that night he hung me over the chasm. That could of been me.

Did he do it _because_ of me?

I couldn't let that bother my mind. He made his own choices.

Except he didn't. I'm just trying to process it being Al's decision. When deep down, of course it is Eric behind it. He is behind everything, has eyes not only in the back of his head. He has dozens of 'fly on the wall' members that would do anything for him.

I tell the other initiates at the table we sit that I need to go for a walk. I mean it this time. I just need some time to deal with this. Eric had announced through the haze that the final trial would still go ahead regardless. Just delayed for a few hours, so he could make some speech.

I float around the pit, going in circles till the mass of people crowd where Al was found. Eric climbs up on to an upturned grate, rising a green bottle, probably filled to the brim with scotch instead of beer.  
My ears prick up as he says that Al was brave. I frown. It turns in to a scowl, ripping in to the edges of the wound from the butt of the gun.

I cross my arms, listening in. The rubbish that spews from Eric's mouth shocks me. Not only is he a liar, a murderer but now calls him great. Raising a toast to someone who quite happily would have let me fall down that chasm just for coming higher than him.

I have to pull myself away from this scene. I can't take this. I weave myself through a hot chaos of chanting bodies.

I feel the soft hand extend, pulling me out of the crowd when I reach the edge. I duck, making sure I don't get smacked in the face by someones fist pumping the air. My head jerks up, feeling a shot of electricity run through my body at his face.

"But, but-" I stammer. It's the last thing I thought I would see. He gives me a coy smile, unusual for him. I stare at his eyes, the expression doesn't reach his eyes. He looks soulless.

This isn't my Tobias.

..._My_ Tobias. Did I really just think that?

* * *

**Thoughts? :) Till next time!**


	16. Chapter 16

Another chapter! This will be continued in the next one, I couldn't get it all in tonight - so bare with! You shall have it very soon.

There will be Fourxtris soon. I promise. I'm making you wait for it's awesomeness ;)

Note: I do not own these characters or the novels/world created by Veronica Roth.

* * *

Tobias leads me away through bodies milling on the outer edge of the crowd. I slap at his hand, asking him where he's taking me. He doesn't answer me. He doesn't respond when I wave my hand in front of him, telling him to wake up and listen to me. I'm frightened by his huge personality change.

I dig my heels in to the floor, refusing to go any further with him. I yank my hand out of his, puffing my chest out.

"Will you tell me where you've been?" A hand rests on my hip, unbalancing my posture.

"I've been here all along."

I raise an eyebrow at him. "Really?"

"Stop playing around," he hisses. I jerk my head back in response, brows meeting in the middle of my forehead.

I have no idea what is wrong with him. I want to reach out and slap him across the face to see if it will wake him up. He doesn't seem confused or dazed... just zoned out. Like he hasn't had enough sleep and is running on auto pilot.

"You seem sad," he notes. His eyes search my face like it's being interrogated in some crime.

"Somebody I know just died, of course I'm sad," I huff. I don't bother to explain that isn't the real reason. I don't know what is wrong with him, I can just sense this wouldn't get through to him.

"You didn't like Al."

"I did. Then didn't."

"Are you angry then?" He asks me the questions like he's running them off a list. I mentally start to jot down all the inconsistencies that he is suddenly displaying.

"Angry at Eric's bullshit." I test him with this. His expression flinches. It isn't from being taken off guard by my language... He took it as an insult. What on earth did they do to him?

"He has to say that for anyone."

"Oh really, even if I turned up dead?"

He doesn't have a wash of sadness roll over him at this subject. My Tobias would.

"It wouldn't matter. It's a speech."

I narrow my eyes at him. I don't like this new attitude. He doesn't try to stop me as I stalk off. Just stands there, posture straight, militarian.

I want to spend my remaining time with Christina, Will and Uriah. I haven't spend enough time around Uriah to get to know his friends but they seem stand offish.  
Christina seems stilled by Al's death. I poke her in her sides, breaking her out of it.

"Hey," she mumbles.

"It'll be okay. In two months you'll feel even more okay. In two years you won't even know the difference you'll be so fine."

"I just can't help thinking why he'd do it."

"Maybe he just couldn't see a way out of it, knew he was going to fail so just.. jumpy time!" One of Uriah's friends chips in. I scowl at him, wanting to scream at him to shut up.

"I know it's hard. But you have to focus on yourself, you can't fail this test Christina. Be strong." I place my hand, palm up in front of us offering it to her. She very hesitantly grabs on to it, our hands locking. I squeeze it, trying to give her some added strength. We all become on a tangent of talking about our trials this late afternoon. It seems that our nerves are slightly more subsided as grief is heavy and thick among initiates. I feel the pang of guilt because I don't have this. My nerves are alight with every connection in my body buzzing in anticipation.

When we start to get ready for our final trials, nobody is standing still. Even Peter is nervous looking. I'm rolling on the balls of my feet, trying to soothe myself by the small rocking movement of going back and forward.  
Eric, Lauren and Tobias stand in front of us. Only Lauren smiles reassuringly. They have several black boxes stocked upon each other. They take a case, bringing out a large pointed needle, filled with orange liquid. I eye it suspiciously, ever since my mothers warning I distrust them.

Will has been listed to start first. I can see the sweat collect through the fabric of his t-shirt in the small of his back. He moves his head to the side as the injection goes in deep to the muscle, the jelly like substance disappearing from the vial. He winces, rubbing the area with discomfort.

They inject us all in the order that we are to go in. When they come to me, I stop Eric's hand before he jabs it in to me.

"What is that?" I ask questioningly.

"Everyone is taking it today."

"So it's not for the simulation?"

"It's mixed. Finished?"

I purse my lips and move my neck. It's hot as it enters my body, swirling in pain. A small gasp passes my lips. I rub the spot, just like Will. There is a bruising pain to it. My fingers push my hair to fall on the opposite shoulder, giving the injection site some breathing room.

The door opens, lets an initiate in then promptly closes with a deep thudding noise. We are aware that people are watching this time round, that they will be able to see our fears on the screen supposedly. I don't have enough of an idea of how I get through this and don't show my divergence. It isn't like I can ask Tobias, he's shut off. It would raise even more alarm bells than just saying the truth to Eric.

We all shroud our bodies inwardly when we can hear the piercing screams from the other side. I can just imagine these faces that are in front of me, bodies drenched in sweat, curled in to the fetal position.

I try and avoid looking as initiates come out from the door. I don't want to see the fear or relief. I don't want to see if Peter is still scared or not. I start to feel the rising of bile up my throat when a sweaty bare arm brushes against mine.

I have the grueling wait of having a name called out, perking my head up and realizing that it isn't mine. When it gets to be that there are only three other people left, I know I will be last. The occasional twitch in my finger is picked up on by Tobias' vision. I place my hands behind my back, turning in to tight fists.

Finally my name is called. I can do this. Right? Maybe it won't be so bad that I will have a double figure of fears. I don't know how Tobias only managed to get four. I bet his was quick.  
_  
Stop thinking about him._

I stretch the muscles in my neck as I pass the open door. Eric's arm must be feeling better, or his shoulder is taking a lot of strain and he refuses to show it.

"Good luck," he says slyly. He's too eager for my apparent demise.

Both Tobias and Eric follow in to the room. The on lookers have been segregated by a large glass window. What do they think I'm going to do? Stab them?

Well. I suppose that isn't _so _ludicrous.

I spot the black bob. I want to narrow my eyes at her, claw at the glass and scream "What have you done to him?!" but I can't lose it now.

I calmly and collectedly walk to the center of the room, sitting down on a soft mat. I have my knees near my face, winding my arms around my legs. My fingers link, pulling myself in to a tight ball.

"Ready?" Someone asks in the distance.

I nod, closing my eyes.

I wake up, feeling earth under me. It's scent isn't pleasant. It smells rusty and dark. I hear the squawk. I snap my head to the right, seeing a pair of black, beady eyes. It's beak opens, jutting forward at me. It bites the side of my face. I smack at it. It's claws dig in deeper, piercing the flesh.

I smack at it, grabbing hold of it's body. It lets out a sharp squawk in to my ear. I can hear wings flapping, approaching me. It's almost sent a distress call. I can feel my blood start to boil, causing my heart rate to spike. It's not real. I'm not going to be pecked to death.

Ow! That doesn't stop it from hurting. The crow on my shoulders wings start to spread, sharp feathers causing superficial white lines on my bare skin. I pull my head in to the protective cover I took prior to the simulation. I close my eyes as I can see the tears in my flesh, the blood starting to trickle. It takes every ounce of strength I have to not manipulate the situation. Let it play out.

Breathe, Tris. Just breathe. Mouth open, in. Out. I focus on the air flow, trying to make a rhythm out of it. I bite down hard on my lip when a scratch is particularly painful not letting it beat me down.

I feel no pain. My head rises slowly, surveying the area around me. My hands reach out and hit glass. My whole body becomes alert, pulling myself from the ground. My hands follow the four walls around me, feeling for a weak point.

I'm back in the glass tank. I can feel the hysteria build. It's starting to fill up almost immediately as I stood. My hands are frantic in front of me, I try to breathe but my lungs feel dry, dusty. I'm wheezing as the cool, clear water starts to slosh at my ankle.

Breathe. Breathe.

I see people watching in the distance, faceless. I scream at them, pleading for help. The water has risen to my knees. I can feel my lip quiver, I bite down to stop it. I wipe roughly at my eyes, wiping the tears from them.

Be strong._  
_


	17. Chapter 17

The finished bit of simulation time. You also get FourxTris! :) I hope you enjoy. Would love to hear your thoughts?

Note: I don't own these characters or the world/novels by Veronica Roth.

* * *

I can't stop it. My fists pound at the glass, again and again. They slam, making thickening waves of pain develop in my hands. The water is at the base of my neck. My feet no longer can touch the floor. My breathing isn't controlled, it doesn't matter what I do.

I will drown.

If the glass was a thin sheeting I'd be able to get out of here. This is the one fear I'm not going to be able to control, calm down. I just need to get out of here.  
The water tickles my nostrils, forcing me to tip my head back so I can get those last few gulps of air. My hands rest above me on the top of the glass, my nose being crushed against it.

With my feet I kick out with all the force I can muster. It takes at least 5 kicks before I can hear the splintering effect caused my the kicking.  
My body is thrust forward, rolling on a wave of water.

My body is still weightless in the water. It's got deeper, with more saltiness added in the air. My head goes under, I thrash until I can breathe the air again. I've swallowed some of the water, burning the back of my throat.

I can see above me only darkness. There are rocks embedded in to the wall. My body crashes in to something hard and instinctively my hands thrust in front of me trying to grab on. I hug myself to it.

I'm at the bottom of the chasm. The waves here are violent as they hit against my body, threatening to knock my loose from the rock at any second. I try to scramble further up so the waves can't catch me. As I try, the water picks up, slamming in to my chest. I lose my grip, swallow copious amounts of water and start to feel the panic. My eyes are shut as the salt in the water is burning them. I can feel the hard lumps of rock underneath my body, brutally knocking in to them as the wave carries me down. The tide is too strong to fight against. I can't grab on. I'm under, thrusting my hands above me, body convulsing. I can't stop this. I try to stay still, as hard as I can. I try to swim deeper, my mind screaming at me that isn't the right decision.

It must be in the end, as the water drains from the scene around me. My hair isn't wet, clothes not sticking to my body in heavy rolls of fabric.

My body is curled up on thick carpet, it nuzzles against my cheek, warm. I blink a few times, rolling my body so I can manoeuvre myself to a sitting position.

In front of me are my family. They all sit, separately tied to chairs with rope binding them. I can see the red rings where it cuts in to the skin at their wrists. Caleb at the very end is writhing. My mother stays calm and collected, eyes trained on me. My father refuses to look my way.

A woman stands next to me. Not a woman. The woman. That short black hair swirling around her chin from the light breeze in the room. She lends a hand in front of me, helping to pull me up. I tentatively take it, asking her what is going on. She doesn't reply. She just grins toothily, placing a cold gun in to my hand. It's heavier than I would have expected, faltering my grip.

I look down confused. My eyes flash back to her. I pull the gun up without thinking and aim it at her head. Her eyes narrow in response.

"What are you doing to my family?" I spit at her.

"You're going to kill them," she chimes in response. The tone in her voice sounds like she is saying I'm going to eat cake with them.

"I am not!" I shout.

The woman pulls a gun from her belt, targeting my mothers head.

"Put the gun down," I hiss.

"Sweetheart, it's okay. I won't blame you," my mother says to me. It's like a stab wound to the heart. I can't take my eyes away from the woman, that could result in anything.

"She's right, Beatrice. You're doing what you have to."

My father doesn't sound angry at me. I can feel the sweat from my palms start to moisten the gun handle, making it hard to hold it firmly. My brother is wailing.

"Beatrice, please don't!" He cries to me. I bite my lip hard. Doesn't he realise I would never shoot him? I couldn't aim a gun on any of them.

"You better make your decision quickly _Tris_ else I'm going to make it slow and painful for all three of them. Maybe I will start with your brother first." A wicked smile of pleasure creeps up her face.

I swallow the gulp in my throat. There is no way to calm myself down enough to shoot them. I can feel the hysteria knotting my stomach together. I won't and can't shoot them.

I can't do what Tobias did.

I have to do it my own way.

I can't face or calm down the fear.

I'm going to have to manipulate it.

It happens in a flash. I pulls the gun towards my chin, no longer is the barrel pointing at the woman. My finger pulls at the trigger. A bang resonates in the room, my skull vibrating.  
My scene disappears. My heart feels calmer, a weight lifted off. It is probably the last time I will ever see my family. I just couldn't.

I let out a deep breath. In front of me stands a door. It looks like one similar to the apartments where Eric and Tobias live. I turn the handle, pushing the door open.

The room is all white. White floor, white walls, white ceiling. In the middle of the room is a large double bed. The white theme continues upon it.  
The colourless room makes him stand out as he crosses the room to greet me. It's a stark difference the dark fabric makes. His face is warm, lit up by a dazzling smile. I can't help but find it infectious.

"Tris," he exclaims. His voice is soft and gentle, the roughness has gone. He passes my body to close the door behind me.

I can feel his presence behind me, facing my back. His hand moves strands of hair away from my shoulder. I can feel the touch of all most touch of his forehead against the crown of my head.

"I missed you," he whispers. It sends electric shocks through my body. I go weak at the knees.

"I - I," I stammer. "Me too."

"I've missed you so much, I don't think I can't stop myself." His voice is pining.

"From what?"

"This."

His arms brush against my sides, his hands finding mine. His intertwined his fingers in mine, laying against my stomach. His hard stomach is pressing in to the arch of my back. The warmth of his body is like bathing in the sun.

His touch is so gentle. Lips press to the pulse point of my neck. I let out a gasp, heart hitching in my chest.

My lips are parted, breathing labored. One touch from him is sending my mind reeling. My stomach is trying to fight against knotting in fear and fluttering with butterflies. They fight for dominance as his lips travel up the side of my neck. He kisses behind my ear, sending the tips burning. They must be bright red with the burning.

The kisses etch along my jaw, my head tipping back on to his shoulders. He stops short of my lips.

The knotting in fear in my stomach is winning out.

Fours hands loosen from mine, fingertips trailing up to the crook of my elbow. His touch is light as he guides my body round to face him. He's taller than me, I have to tip my chin up to see his face. His eyes are shining, face filled to the brim with happiness.

"I think I might love you, Tris."

"Might?" I question.

He smiles at me, almost ear to ear.

"I'm waiting till I know for sure to tell you."

"How are you meant to know?"

He doesn't speak. He bends his head down, his nose brushing against mine. My face crinkles ever so slightly.  
He looks deep in to my eyes. It would be so easy to get lost in them.  
His lips crush against mine, pressing with a hungry fever. My eyes close, taking it all in. Fours hands are in the small of my back, on my arms, on my hips. My hands press against his cheeks, pulling his face further to mine. My stomach is fluttering, the dominance is no longer fighting. The dominance that's being fought is with me and Tobias. I can feel our body heat rising, my hair becoming tousled when his fingers run through them.

I have to pull away first. My forehead rests against his chin, trying to catch my breath. I'm panting, body tingling. Tobias kisses the top of my head.

"Do you know now?" He asks, hearing the smile to his voice.

I had to pull away. I got so caught up in the moment, I forgot that this wasn't _real_. That Eric and Tobias would be watching it. I had to catch my breath, I could feel my tear ducts beginning to sting.

I wanted this to be real.

"I have to go."

"No you don't, you can stay with me."

His fingers go to my chin, gently pulling my head up. His lips press to mine so lightly, I wouldn't have believed it if I didn't have my eyes still open. He tasted of salt.

"If you stay, we can be like this forever."

"No." My hand raises against his chest, trying to stop myself from giving in.

I had to slow my breathing down. I couldn't let my time be eaten up by this. I had to get past this. As hard as it was to try and move on, I had to. I kept my eyes closed, trying as hard as I could do ignore Tobias' touch.

It must have worked. My heart aches with all the angst that had just coursed through my body. I felt the relief when I was no longer with him.

The relief of intimacy. With Eric, it was something that was forced. I didn't have enough time to question it. But with Four, I wanted to be with him. The trepidation it took at just the thought made my body turn weak. It didn't matter anyway. Tobias wasn't Tobias in real life. Maybe I just have to figure out how to get him back to me. And get rid of Eric.

I turned myself round to the next simulated fear. I was so lost in my thoughts, staring at a point in the distance that when I realised the position I was in, it felt like a train had just hit me.

I was tied to a large pole, hands bound behind me. Beneath my feet was layered wood, twigs and other flammable items. Peter stood a distance away, a delighted grin slapped on his face. He held a lit torch in both hands. He could see the fear in my eyes, a menacing laugh roaring through the air as he touched the flames to the wood.

I let out a scream for help. Beneath me, everything was catching fire quickly. It didn't take long to start a fire. I didn't want to burn to death. I wanted this over and done with. I didn't want to give fake Peter the satisfaction of hearing my screams as my flesh burnt.

I screwed my face up, focusing. Rain. I wanted rain.

The pitter patters started, hitting my face. I could hear the sizzle of the fire as the water put it out. I let out a big sigh of relief. I just hoped the next fear wasn't going to be going to my death again.

Close your eyes, wait, deal with it and repeat.

I didn't need to repeat. I awoke, curled up on the floor, covered in sweat. I could hear cheers from the other side of the glass. I pulled my shaking, tired body up. I wiped at my face, removing the tears. I winced in pain as my palm barely touched the welt in my face. At least I knew that pain was real. I was back in reality.

How many fears was that? I count them in my head, reeling back mentally from some of them.

Six.

I got it done in Six.

No wonder they were cheering.

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Did you enjoy it?! :) Till next time (which should be before Tuesday/on Tuesday at latest.)


	18. Chapter 18

Thanks for letting me know if you've been seeing updates. I'm really sorry to those who haven't, I've seen it's a problem with ff at the moment and unfortunately I can't fix it. You can always check the story to see if there is a new chapter if you're waiting for one though :)

And out of curiosity - how many of you are fourxtris and how many ericxtris in this story?

Note: I do not own these characters or the world/novels created by Veronica Roth.

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My body feels run down. My muscles feel like I've had led injected in to them. There is heat rising across my cheeks when I spot Four and Eric standing. They both clap in time, emotionless. I really just want to hide away in a corner and collect myself after that _scene._ I exit the room, shoving the door open with all my weight. I fall in to a circle of my friends, who are cheering on a totally different level to inside the simulation room. They're cheering with delight that they're finished but with heavy hearts that are paranoid that they may very well become factionless.

I wince as Uriah slaps me on the shoulder. I'm so bruised, bloody and sweaty - I want to cry out. I want to say everything that is currently happening in my world, how manipulative everything is. How I can't understand Tobias. My mind is so emotionally drained, the only emotion I can convey is bleakness. I'm not worried about my future. I'm worried about the present day and what will happen to me.

I know I did well in the number of fears I have collected. That doesn't mean that the time was good. Did I linger too long with Tobias? Would he understand that, through this... new... I'm not sure. It's like he's being manipulated but he doesn't have freedom of choice. It's almost as if he was programmed.

Programmed. That would be an interesting concept. But how?

I don't have time to mull it over. I'm being dragged along by Christina to the dormitories. By this evening, we will all know our fates. They're much faster with getting initiates made in to members, so they can assign us our jobs. It will only take a few hours at tops. There is meant to be some kind of feast in the food hall where all the members collect to welcome us. There are too many members to fit in there surely?

I'm less worried about becoming a member than I am for covering my tracks. My fate could be settled by me just not wanting to drown. It wasn't even real. I could of just dealt with it. But when you have so many different thoughts running through your head, working totally different to everyone else it's hard. I don't understand, if Tobias was controlled - it just doesn't make sense. He was divergent, wasn't he?

"It's amazing. This will be our last time we will sleep here," Will says with a strange lust. I'd love to be rid of this place.

Peters voice interjects. "Don't be so sure."

Will whips around to face him, puffing his body out. "Excuse me?"

"I bet you're going to be kicked out, you and that mutt of a girlfriend."

I leap forward, seeing Christina readying herself to charge at him. I have to wrap my arms around her chest, holding her to my body. She writhes and kicks as Will steps forward, his and Peter's feet practically touching.

"What did you just say?" Will asks.

"Your girlfriend. She's a mutt."

The sound of knuckles hitting flesh, hard sounds through the room. There is a sickening note to it, when you can hear the edge of a jaw bone taking impact. Peter has to spit out blood, his white smile tainted a pinkish hue.

"You're going to regret that. You just wait."

Will turns from him, not showing any fear. He stalks back to us, thanking me for keeping Christina at bay. His hands take hold of her face, telling her softly to ignore him. That he loved her and that's all that mattered.

It made my stomach hurt. I had to feign a smile to them after realizing I was just starting intently, soaking in their words. I turned to my bunk, lip wobbling when Al's screwed up sheets lay exactly how they had been last time I saw it. I rest my hands against the wood, blinking hard to keep back tears that want to choke me.

I felt sorry for his parents. Did they get told of his death, or was it only recognized in the Dauntless community? Because he never made it to member status, does he still get the same respect any other death would? I imagine his community ripped apart, wishing he had just stayed with them.

They don't say we are the toughest faction for nothing. Zero tolerance.

I wanted to make his bed but it wasn't my place to. His belongings would still be in here, until later today when we all moved on, or got kicked out. Would they return them to his family?

I wanted to have a sleep one last time in that bunk. I wanted to minimize the grueling hours that were going to take hold of me with an iron fist if I stayed awake. I wanted to wake up fresh, ready to start whatever new path I was going to take.  
I didn't climb in to the sheets. I just laid atop them, massaging my thigh muscle. It didn't take long till I felt the lull of sleep come.

My mind was eased out of a fitful dream when I could hear chatter in the dormitories. I opened my weary eyes to see the other initiates getting dressed in to something smarter. Christina popped her head near mine, smiling. Her hair was wet, a few droplets hitting my forehead.

"Hello sleepy head!"

"Ugh, you're too chipper for just waking up."

She laughed and nudged my head playfully.

"Get up, you've got a surprise."

"What do you mean?"

She waits for my to roll out of the bunk to a standing position. I stretch my body out like a cat. Christina pulls a medium sized box from Al's bunk, handing it to me. The box is golden, with a red ribbon tied around it. I stare down at it with curiosity.

"It's for you."

"Who's it from?" I ask.

"I don't know. When we got here, it was waiting at the door with your name on it. Molly nearly tried to stamp on it but I pushed her out of the way," she grins with pride.

"Pushed?"

"Okay, I shoved her in to a wall and told her to back off."

"That sounds more like it," I can't help but smile with her.

We both stare at the box. "Going to open it then?" Christina asks with an impatience of a child on the morning of their birthday.

I pull at the ribbon, it comes loose. I hand it to Christina to hold. My heart starts to pick up, I can feel a nervous excitement run through me. When I take off the lid, there is tissue paper covering something. Being gentle in moving it, I can spy cherry red fabric through the thin tissue. Christina steps up on tip toes, trying to get a better look. I place the box down on my bunk, pulling the fabric out.

The fabric tumbles away from the folds, revealing a short dress. It's fitted, with a sweetheart neckline. I run my hand over the fabric, the satin gliding through my touch. Christina gasps a little, eyes sparkling.

"Who could it be from?!" She sounds more curious than I do.

As much as I would like to deny who it is from, deep down I know. It's not a secret admirer. It's a secret psychopath.

"Put it on, put it on!" Christina jumps up and down. I tell her I need to shower first, that I need to try and cover up the bruises that cover my body. She nods, fiddling with her hair, braiding it in to a complicated style. I take the dress with me in to the bathroom, locking it behind me.

I take a cold shower to wake me up. It feels like icy shards hitting my body in all my sore spots. I wash my hair thoroughly before stepping out, wrapping a fluffy towel around my body. I dry quickly, dress myself in underwear and get to work on concealing the bruises. I avoid anywhere the dress won't cover, trying to give myself more time. I observe myself in the mirror, surprised that the welt in my face has started to fade to a thin red line. Almost impossible - it surely couldn't have healed that quickly? Was there really something more in that serum that they gave me?

I slide the zip on the back of the dress down, climbing in to it. I raise the fabric against my body, surprised by how snug a fit it actually is. I hate that I like it. I hate that it does actually show the curves I have developed from extra muscle. I hate that he got it so right.

I want to rip it off my body, throw it away. I want to get in to that basic black dress and be done with it, show a revolt against Eric that he doesn't own me.

I don't have the time. I can hear people outside the door, waiting. I open it to be faced with Molly. She has a sour look on her face, looking me up and down with disgust. She flicks her hair as she barges past me, slamming the door. I shake my head, not understanding her. I keep the fabric that holds the zip behind me, my arm bent in an uncomfortable position. I ask Christina if she could zip me up. With the zip pulled, the fabric around my chest wraps tightly around them. I turn to face Christina, waiting for her thoughts.

She's grinning. "You look beautiful! It's perfect. I wish I knew who it was from."

"Thanks," I say. I avoid that I do know who it is from.

"Well you're one lucky girl, whoever sent you it!"

Lucky. That was an odd concept. I wasn't lucky at all. Christina was lucky for having Will, for being able to have him to hold her without fear she was going to get hurt.

I took in what Christina was wearing. It was covered in gold sequins, making the light reflect off her body. It had thin spaghetti straps that crisscrossed in the back. It hit at the same thigh level mine did, showing off her legs.

"Will bought it for me, so sweet," she smiled with such happiness that made me feel like I had been punched in the stomach again. Was this jealousy? Envy?

She stands taller than she does normally. On her feet she has black heels that look incredibly uncomfortable.  
I'd just slipped on some small black heels that she had encouraged to get me a while back. I had protested, saying I would never wear them. It must have been two inches at most the heel but it made my feet feel squished in to something too tight. It did make me taller though, so there was a good aspect to it at least. I certainly didn't know how Christina was going to walk in hers, I could feel my ankles wobbling in mine.

Will came to wrap an arm around her. He smiled at her with such a warm light when he knew she wasn't looking, with such _love._ I wondered if they might share a place if they both make it through to be members.

Lauren appears in the doorway, placing two fingers between her mouth, a sharp calling whistle breaking the noise in the room.

"It's show time, initiates."

The irony that is it daunting going in a room where we will become Dauntless. There is a certain atmosphere to the room. It's high with excitement and thrill from the Dauntless members. They cover the seats and even tables, all crowded around the small amount of initiates left. I spot Uriah, nervously keeping his eyes on his brother. I hoped Peter would get kicked out, however unlikely it is to happen.

In the middle of the room where we stand, Eric, Max, Four and Lauren are grouped in front of us. Eric has a piece of paper in front of him, a beaming grin on his face.

"Welcome, initiates. You have come far to reach the final stage. You have faught your demons. And now is the time you make your final leap."

He pauses. Someone to the left of us calls out jokingly, "Well don't keep them waiting!"  
They all cheer in agreement. Eric can't help but laugh.

"Okay, okay," he hols a hand up to silence them. He looks towards us, eyes fixing on to me. He's looking at my body in a lustful way. I move to hide myself behind Will.

We all snap our heads up every time he announces a name. They don't do it in ranking, they release that later on. They go with Dauntless born initiates. I'm pleased to hear that Uriah and his friends make it through. They hysterical tears from an initate who didn't make it through rips my already fragile emotions apart.

He starts with transfers.

"Peter."

"Tris."

My head bops up, a smile slapped on my face. I can't help but have a spring in my step. Will and Christina wait to hug me until their names are called. We are so thrilled to be in the safe zone we don't listen to who else is called.

Molly starts crying to the right of me, wailing even. Drew tries to console her. I hear him say that at least they will be together, they can watch out for each other. It gives me satisfaction to know that Peter won't have his cronies. I don't feel sad for them at all.

Once Eric has called everyone's names, he raises a hand to quieten us all down. A few Dauntless members escort the initiates that didn't make it to membership status, the wailing disappearing down the hall.

"Welcome to Dauntless." Eric's voice booms out. Everyone is pumping their fist, cheering. They start to rush near us, slapping us on the back, welcoming us, saying hello and introducing themselves. I don't pay much attention, I can't focus and take the information in so just nod at them, smiling.

I can see Tobias' head through the crowd, the woman with the black bob embracing him with a hug. Her talons rest on the side of his face as she reaches up and presses a kiss to his lips. I force my head away, not wanting to see anymore. I can't understand any of it. All I want to know who that woman is and what she wants. Did he really change his mind? He couldn't see past this? I could feel the imaginary boot on my chest, crushing my lungs.

Eric approaches me in quick strides. His muscles are visible under the fabric of his white shirt, bulging out.

"You look... nice," he says, a smile at the end.

"I didn't think I had much choice."

"You don't."

His hands press to the side of my face, pulling my face up towards him. His head doesn't have to bend far due to the added height from the heels I wear. I'm frozen in my place, not sure how to react.

His lips crush down on mine, he tastes of something sweet yet bitter. I can hear added cries of "You go, Eric!" causing heat to flush to my face. I can feel the pressure harden, then as light as a feather.

My chest is heaving, my lips part when his touch is no longer there. I struggle to breathe in and out as I look up at him. He is starting to get stubble on his face.

"I -" I start, not sure what I should say.

"You're mine now." There is a menacing thrill to it, my heart contracts, squeezing the life from me.

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First public kiss. Stuff is getting serious now! How will everyone react? Till next time :)


	19. Chapter 19

Thank you for telling me who you 'ship' in this! I love hearing from you guys :) the story will start to really rack up after this. Lots of drama and action ahead!

Note: I do not own these characters of the world/novels by Veronica Roth.

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"We've discussed this," I say, my voice wavering.

Out of the corner of my eye I can see people watching. Christina is looking at me like she has been betrayed. Will and Uriahs mouths are formed in to tiny O's. Peter looks furious, as if steam was coming out of his ears. But the one persons opinion who I really care about doesn't seem bothered.

Christina's sways over to me, a hand on her hip. She looks like she is going to eat me alive.

"You didn't tell me, you and Eric were a thing," her eyebrow is raised in to a sharp point.

"We aren't-"

Eric's arm weaves around my waist, pulling me tight in to his side. His palm is warm, fingertips laying on my hip bone.

"-serious," Eric finishes the end of my sentence. "It wouldn't be professional."

I look up at him with reservation, to see him attempt a caring smile. He only seems to be able to pull off malicious ones well.

Christina purses her lips so the creases pull together.

"Well, I'm happy for you... both." She looks over her shoulder, trying to call Will and Uriah over. She spots Tobias and the woman in the distance embracing.

"Who is that with Four?" She asks curiously. My stomach leaps, hoping to finally get an answer. Will comes to wrap his arm around her shoulder, Uriah comes to stand next to him. His brother Zeke follows.

"That's Kaitlyn. She is Four's ex," Zeke replies. Finally, I have a name. Zeke follows everyone's gaze and laughs. "Well, not anymore I guess!"

"Why does she look so familiar?"

I can feel the muscles in Eric's side clench. The smile turns firmer, his eyelids retracting for a split second.

"She's Jeanine Matthews sister."

"She has a sister?" I ask eagerly.

"Yeah, she transferred to Dauntless, didn't feel like she was good enough to be an Erudite."

Christina and Will start to discuss Erudite, walking off. Christina waves her hand, lacking friendliness to it.

"Congratulations Tris on making it though!" Zeke exclaims. He looks down at Eric's arm. "And I suppose congratulations on that too! Good luck with that one," he says jokingly, slapping his arm on Eric's shoulder. "I hear she has a lot of spirit."

Zeke and Uriah both smile dazzlingly, a smile that you can just tell they are related and were loved. Somebody walks by shouting that cake has been served, running off in the direction of the voice.

"Yes, a spirit that is very hard to break," Eric hisses under his breath. His hand moves to the small of my back, pushing me gently towards the open food hall door. The celebration party is starting to kick up, the more alcohol being drunk the more it becomes rowdier.

"I want to stay," I whisper in a hushed tone.

"And I want a mansion, we don't all get what we want."

Just as we reach the doorway, a few more whooping shouts are directed at us. A man wolf whistles in our direction.

"Have fun," he winks at me. I frown, not able to catch eye contact as Eric hurries up out of the corridor.

"Will you just stop?" I ask him when we make it to the middle of the pit.

"You don't need to communicate with anyone. You're going to bed." He speaks like there are no ifs and buts that I could say to stop him.

"Is this because I asked a question?"

"Yes."

"You can't control me."

He stops, glaring down at me. "So you're really not going to learn your lesson after Al?"

"I knew it!" I cry at him.

"Don't ever think I won't do something. Don't think that it's too much of an awful thing, that I couldn't possibly do it. You haven't even reached the depths of where I can take this."

"Who made you like this?" I ask in a disgusted tone.

"The question you should be asking yourself is if you want to do this the easy or the hard way."

I bite my lip as he takes my hand in his, pulling me towards a set of stairs. He takes me up them, the silence between us like a thick fog.

"I thought you said I was going to bed?"

"Yes, my bed."

"Hey, no! I'm not doing that."

He raises an eyebrow at me. "So it's the hard way is it?"

I hit his arm. He tuts at me, pulling me towards his apartment more urgently.

When we reach the apartment door, Eric unlocks it, shoving me roughly in. The door is locked behind him. I walk over to the sofa, huffing. I plop my body down on it, the fabric that hugs my body makes sitting down uncomfortable. I can feel everything squeezing in.

"Do you have to do everything with such an attitude?" He asks critically, gazing at me with his fingers resting on his chin. I hadn't really noticed till now that he was in a black crisp suit, with a bow tie at his collar. His fingers fiddle at the complicated folds that created it. He lets the tie fall to the ground in one hand, whilst the other unbuttons his shirt loose. Shrugging off the suit jacket, which is left in a crumpled mess on the floor, he strides over to me in two long bounds.

He perches his body on the edge on the coffee table, so he is facing me. His knees just skim mine.

"I saw your fears today."

"Oh god," I whisper, mortified. I shove my face in to open hands, nuzzling my nose in to my palm.

"You and him were like love sick puppies. You're much better off without him."

"What interest does Kaitlyn really have here?"

"Jealous?" He laughs.

"Curious," I correct him.

"It's pieces to a puzzle, that's all."

"Are you going to kill me?" I open my fingers enough to be able to peek out of them at him.

"You're much to fun to play with for that. Nobody likes a corpse."

His touch warms the inner part of my wrist as he grazes it with his fingertips.

"There's no need to be scared," he says playfully.

I yank my hands away from him. I curl my legs up to the side of my body, trying to remove myself from him.

"I think I'd rather you did just kill me."

He rolls his eyes, tutting at me.

"No need to be so melodramatic." He gets up, shrugging his shoulders. Walking to the door, he tells me he will be back later, winking his eyes at me. I hear the lock in the door turn from the other side, heart sinking.

I wish I could snoop around here without getting caught. The cameras would pick up me searching through every cabinet in this place. It's not worth the added risk. In all due time, I can do this.

I admit defeat, snuggling in to the sofa cushions. I rest my head on the arm of the sofa, rubbing at my neck. It still burns where they injected me.

I close my eyes, breathing in the scent of leather. My mind keeps beating itself up, replaying Kaitlyn and Tobias. I don't get what Jeanine or her sister have up their sleeves. Knives if it regarding Kaitlyn.

My mind is in a state of unrest. It must have been a few hours. I can't calm myself down. I'm relieved I'm not factionless. At one point I got too cold, resorting to picking the crinkled jacket suit left by Eric. It was much too large on me, falling to just above the dresses length. It smelt like bad cologne.

I couldn't take laying on this sofa any longer. I needed to go throw some water in my face to wake me up.

It was a pain dragging myself off that sofa. My limbs had stiffened, pins and needles running in my toes. I wiggled them under the carpet on my way to the bathroom. The cold floor of the bathroom should help.

It was spotless in here. It quite literally was sparkling, the marble sink was reflecting the light. I stated at myself in the mirror, surprised by just how exhausted I looked. I could see the bags under my eyes, a dark purple shade in the very corners. I twisted the taps, water running out of the faucet. Cupping my hands under the stream of water, I lowered my face. It felt good against my skin. When I looked back in the mirror, I had smudged some of the make up I was wearing. My eyes were rimmed with dark smudged eyeliner. Christina would say I was just trying out a new make up look. I turned the taps, stopping the water. I swear I could hear evidence of noise in the apartment again. Turning off the light in the bathroom, I crept back in to Eric's bedroom.

Resting my ear to his door, I heard Kaitlyn and Eric.

"... I don't know. I suppose we will just deal with it when it comes to it."

"But what if it doesn't go to plan? Do you want to end up as one of her experiments?"

"Of course not," Eric sounded worried.

"Is Tris one of them?" Kaitlyn asks.

"I have no idea. Check the apartment, if you find her in a subdued state, she's not divergent."

I bounce on the balls of my feet. I've got to act fast. I run silently to the bed, standing just to the side of it. I relax my body, making it as loose as possible, I allow my face muscles to do the same. I lower my eyelids slightly, staring blankly at the wall ahead.

Act like a stone statue. Don't react, don't flinch, don't speak, don't look and make eye contact.

The door to the bedroom flies open. Out of my peripheral vision, I can see Kaitlyns body. A large gun is hanging on her left shoulder. She saunters over to me. My vision is blurred, not able to take her all in.

"She's in here!" She yells out to Eric.

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Are you happy to finally know who the woman with the black bob is?! We're you expecting that?

Till next time!


	20. Chapter 20

Thank you so much for the reviews - I read every one of them! Does make me excited when I get feedback :) Thank you for being invested in this story!

I know a couple of you have been wondering about what is happening with Tobias, if you think what happens at the end of Divergent, then you'll get what is going on - it will be explained further!

Note: I do not own any of these characters or the Divergent world/novels by Veronica Roth.

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She places her feet firmly on the floor in front of me. Her shoulders are pushed back, her chest thrown forward. This is the first time I've seen up her close. He had a sharp nose, with steely blue eyes. Her lashes are coated in thick torrents of mascara. Her lips still have the swipe of red. My line of vision is right between her eyebrows.

Stay calm, keep breathing.

Her fingers come up to my face. The exact same shade of red that is applied to her lip coats her talons. Eric storms in to the room, guns quite literally blazing.

"So?" He asks, sounding out of breath.

"She seems like the others. Are you sure she's a divergent?" She asks him with a strong authority ridden drone. She sounds unamused.

"A hundred percent."

"Then why the hell is she standing there like a robot?" Her eyebrows raise, crinkles spreading across her forehead.

"I don't know Kaitlyn! Maybe you should ask your sister, she is meant to be the fountain of knowledge," he says snarkily.

Kaitlyn's talon scrapes across my cheek, scoring the skin. I can feel my abdomen suck in, trying to hold my unsteady breath till I can regain composure.

Her talons trail across my neck, down over my shoulder. Her fingers create a fist in my hair at the nape of my neck, plunging my head back as she yanks the hair. My throat is elongated, eyes steady on a central point in the ceiling. It's painful enough to make me think she may very well end up scalping me.

"See? No reaction," she tuts at him.

"She could just be pretending," he is speaking through gritted teeth.

Kaitlyn's hands press to my skull, pulling my head back to rest at it's normal position. My vision blurs with the sudden movement, black dots swimming across my vision. She brings her face up close to mine, cocking her head to the side so my vision is in the prime position for eye contact.

My eyes feel dry, the urge to blink several time to moisten them is near impossible to deny.

"Oh just leave it, Eric. You're trying much too hard to force the divergent stamp on her."

"Let me try."

Kaitlyn's eyes roll, stepping aside. My body feels injected with iron, anchoring my feet to the floor. I allow myself to blink, eyes starting to feel less scratchy.

I can smell the cologne at Eric's neck as he comes to stand behind me. My stomach is turning in to knots, wasps stinging violently at the skin of my navel. Lips touching to the cartilage of my ear, he whispers to me. His voice is like liquid gold, ready to burn you.

It sends chills tingling down by spine, goosebumps scattering over my arms. I was so thankful for the jacket suit.

_"Tris._"

His hands touch to my sides, fingers swirling patterns painfully slow.

"You can stop me at any time."

I imagine that anchor with its chains tied around my body, restricting any movement. I can see Kaitlyn watching me in the corner of the room. Her arms are crossed, fingers tapping on her upper arm.  
He traces along the grooves of my body.

"Now?"

Eric touches my hips, stroking across the bone. I can feel a warm tingle across my chest, my hands starting to sweat. I wish I could wipe them against my clothes.

"_Now?"_

His fingers spread out as Eric reaches my thigh. His fingernails scrapes in to the bare flesh. Internally I'm screaming.

Kaitlyn shoves her hands in to the air.

"That's enough, Eric."

"Just as it was getting interesting," he replies snippily.

Her hands slap at Eric's on my skin, flicking them away from me.

"What do you even see in _her_?"

"I don't."

Kaitlyn's laugh cackles through the room.

"Don't try and lie to me, Eric. I see that look in your eyes."

"I don't like her."

"You're attracted to her, clearly."

Eric mutters something rude under his breath, jabbing Kaitlyn in between the ribs.

"We've spent too much time in here. Give her a gun, and send her to meet the others." He stalks out of the room, shoulders hunched.

Kaitlyn gets the gun from her shoulder, coming to my side. She weaves the strap on to my shoulder, the heavy gun making the straps dig in. The barrel of the gun is wedged between my armpit.

"Walk, soldier."

I release the anchor, taking steady strides out of the apartment. Kaitlyn is hot on my tail, speaking in to an ear piece.

"Are they waiting in the pit? How many didn't make it?"

Thank goodness I at least knew where I was going. I let out a breath that was deeper than the steady flow I had managed. I was out of the clearing for the moment.

I tried to walk like a soldier. I didn't know how well I was achieving it, seeing as Kaitlyn hadn't stopped me in my tracks and thrown some handcuffs around my wrists I was okay at acting.

I could see the scene before it even came properly in to sight. There was thousands of people, standing like drones. Expressionless faces, guns slung over shoulders, bodies rigid.

Four acted like this the other day. Like he had been controlled. Was it possible he was part of the larger picture here?

"The train to Abnegation is nearly here, I don't care about your opinion - get them on the train now!" Kaitlyn yells. I can hear the buzzing in her earpiece, a raised voice shrieking.

My feet stomped down heavily on the pit floor. It made a tap, tap, tap noise from my heels. I go to join the formation of Dauntless made soldiers, planting myself just behind Lauren. I stare in to the nape of her neck.

Eric's voice booms across the room.

"Soldiers, follow me."

The trudge of in sync footsteps drowns out his voice. I keep in time with Lauren's movements, arms swiping the air with fingers straight, flush with stretched palms.

When we reach the train station, there are many open carts. Members start to file in, roughly about twenty bodies cramped in to such a tiny space.

We pass Dauntless members who aren't in a subdued state, stationed at the outer edge of their ready made soldiers.

When it comes to my turn to get in to an empty cart, I have to observe the people in front of me. They swung their bodies in to the cart seamlessly. I didn't know if I was going to be able to pull this off.

I manage it just about, my hand slices against the wood of the cart door, blood pooling in the wound. I don't wince, I don't look down. I just let the aching throb start.

The train feels very uneven on the tracks. It seems to be jolting us side to side, more than it would normally.

The train starts to slow down, bodies flinging themselves out of the cart in front of us. I'm on the side closest to the open door. I swallow. I wait for Lauren to jump, following in suit. The seams of the dress split on one side. I can feel the heels loosen from the shoe when I land.

We aren't far from Abnegation now. I can feel the rising bubble of fear, worrying for my family. We're they going to get hurt in this? Was Jeanine part of this war that was being waged against the Abnegation? And why?

It's become natural to me, walking like a soldier. I don't have to worry for every movement.

I see to the left of me, Eric, Kaitlyn, Max and Four are huddled. Four seems to be just as subdued. He doesn't have a gun on his shoulder.

"Hey, hey wait," Max calls as I pass them. He jogs over to me, pushing his forearm in front of my body.

I halter in my step. Max's huge hands clamp down on my shoulders.

"Soldier, follow me."

I stop the urge to nod at him. I trudge through the mud towards the huddled crowd. I stand next to Four. I want to look over to him, shake him violently, try to get him out of his current state.

"Are you sure Jeanine can make her do it?" Max asks, dubious.

"When she wakes, she will be utterly devastated she killed her parents," Kaitlyn sounds happy. Such a wrong emotion to match with that sentence.

I swear my face twitched. I'm so thankful in this moment that I am awake. My fingers are itching to get a hold of my gun and shoot them. Shoot them and at least try to stop as much killing as I can.

I wouldn't kill them. Just incapacitate them. Shoot a few knee caps.

I can feel my ankle starting to strain under the weight of a cracked heel.

"If she's divergent, she will fight it," Eric mutters.

"Will you just leave it?!" Kaitlyn hits at his head, palm colliding with the crown of his head.

The heel snaps under the straining pressure. My ankle twists, sending my body to the side. I involuntarily fling my arms out to catch myself on something before I hit the floor. I grunt in pain. Eric's arm grabs mine with an iron grip.

His eyes are steady on mine, pure white hot rage in the pupils.

"Can I say I told you so?" He says, the rage controlled in his voice.

Kaitlyn nods towards Four. He springs in to action, twisting my arm behind my back. It's bent in an L shape, the socket muscles tearing. I let out a yelp.

Eric smiles wickedly. "I _knew_ you were awake."

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Till next time! I hope doing smaller chapters but every few days is keeping you guys waiting between cliffhangers not too grueling ;)


	21. Chapter 21

A long chapter! I hope you enjoy this. I certainly enjoyed writing this! It will be slightly different to the plot line of Divergent from here on out, just letting you know. :) Thank you for sharing your thoughts with TrisxEric and TrisxFour - I loved hearing some of you are falling for the idea of TrisxEric!

Note: I do not own these characters or the world/novels by Veronica Roth.

* * *

My mouth puckered. I had to think quickly, be on my feet. Four's hold on my arm was near to breaking point. I imagined that strings were attached to the socket, my arm snapping the ties. I wiggled my toes, kicking backwards. My foot swung backwards, sending a soaring kick in to Four's crotch.

A noise like a wounded animal escaped from his lips. He doubled over, his head smacking in to my back. One arm was free now, my elbow rising in the air, connecting with Max's wrist. His fingers splayed, giving me time to remove myself from his hold. I went for the gun on my shoulder. I knew the safety wasn't on, my finger winding in to the trigger, ready to pull.

My body flinched, my eyes blinking hard. I naturally crouched down, trying to protect my hands with my head. A shot had been fired, a piercing bang in the night. I knew it hadn't been from my gun, I hadn't pulled back. I looked around me frantically, checking that there were no bullet wounds in my body. Looking up I could see blood gushing from a wound on the side of Max's face. It was dribbling down his neck, soaking in to his shirt.

He was screaming about his ear. Had someone just _shot_ it off? His hands were waving animatedly in the air, furiously pointing to his ear. Kaitlyn had sprung in to action, trying to stop the bleeding by applying pressure with her jacket. Eric's eyes were trained on me, the situation having no affect on him.

There was a body running to me from the distance. It had broken away from the subdued "soldiers", an exact replica of the gun I had slung over my shoulder, except it was being supported by both hands by the cloaked figure. A deep voice was shouting something. I couldn't hear it over the roar of Max's screams.

I copied the actions of the running body. I aimed my gun at Eric.

"Put it down. Don't make this harder for yourself," he was speaking softly at me. He was trying to negotiate it out of me.

I could see the distinctive features of the person running to me. It was Uriah. He was screaming run. I didn't think two more seconds about it. I pointed the gun to the floor, pulling the trigger. The bullet rushed from the barrel, hitting it's intended target. The bullet pierced in to leather of Eric's boot, matching a scream to Max's.

I flicked my shoes off in to the mud, setting off at a sprint. I moved the gun's barrel to rest on my shoulder once more, it thudded against my arms as I moved them to increase the speed of my running. Uriah diverted from his route to me, pointing in to a corn field. They were taller than even Eric's height, rough and scratchy against my skin. The bare flesh of my legs took repetitive thrashes, stinging when they broke the skin. I ran and ran, trying to find Uriah in maze of plants.

My feet were stinging, mud clogged between my toes, my heel retaining the impressions of rocks I had jabbed in to.

"Uriah!" I hissed. I tried to keep my voice down. A few meters away from me, there was a rustling. I stopped where I was, crouching down low to the ground. I removed the gun from my shoulder, pointing it in the direction of the noise. My eyes squinted, trying to compensate for the growing darkness. I could still hear wails in the distance. The only real threat to me right now was Kaitlyn and Four, they hadn't been injured gravely.

"Tris," Uriah whispered, pulling a set of corn stalks to the side. His face popped through. It hadn't been in the direction of the rustling.

My arms motioned him over, he crouched down next to me.

"How?" I whisper.

"You're not the only Divergent."

"What about Zeke?"

From what I can see in the darkness, his face falls, the corners of his lips being pulled down so far, you'd think gravity had done it.

"I don't know. I haven't seen him," his voice cracks.

"Did anyone else get out?"

"Not that I know. I just woke up and all of a sudden everyone was standing in the room. I poked a few of them, waved my hands in front of their faces and... nothing. I just knew I had to fake it, I could feel my life in danger."

"The same happened to me. Except I was alone."

"With Eric?" His eyebrows raised. I couldn't help the cough that spluttered out of my chest. It took me by surprise.

"Shh, someones coming," I say, trying to avoid answering the question. I slowly raise my body up, holding the gun out like a raised bat. The rustling noise becomes closer and closer. A body runs towards us at a sprint and I take blind aim. The gun smacks in to Four's skull. He falls forward, face planting in to the mud.

"What was that for?!" Uriah hisses.

"He's one of them."

Uriah looks surprised. He tells me that we can't just leave him here. I could of fractured his skull, given him some serious brain damage. What happened when he woke up, _if _ he woke up? I rolled my eyes at him, telling him to not be so stupid, the others would find him. I had to put my feelings for him down in to the pit of my stomach, it was survival of the fittest right now. I had to keep myself alive right now, no matter what the costs. I couldn't, _wouldn't _let them kill my family.

I told Uriah he would only slow us down if we carried him. He proposed that we both took one end of his body. I argued again, that he would only slow us down. How were we to hold our guns if we were carrying him. I had to give in eventually, our voices were raising in the darkness, we would be giving ourselves completely away if we continued in this fashion. We rolled his body over in the mud, it had crusted around his eyes, nose and mouth. I pulled his arms to the side, the inner part of my elbows resting in the crook of his arm pit. I pulled my arms back over, placing one hand under his head, the other clamped firmly over his mouth. It seemed like a good idea, to at least try and muffle the sounds if he woke up and screamed our position away. Uriah hoicked Four's legs on either side of his waist with an "oooomph" noise expelling from both of us as we lifted him in to the air.

I had to walk backwards, my feet tentatively pressing in to the ground, worried I would step in something painful and nasty. At least we both had a view of what was coming from two sides.

"We have to get in to Abnegation, I've got to save my parents."

"And I've got to find my brother."

My voice comes out strained from carrying the weight of Four. A nasty lump is forming on his head, blues and purples swirling in to a blackened bruise. "Do we split up when we get there?"

"I'd like to say that would be a good idea. But think about it Tris, where does Four go?"

I nearly go to correct him and say his name is Tobias really. But that was a secret he shared with me, one that is buried and locked away in the recess of my thoughts.

"Do you think it's to do with those injections we had?" Uriah asks.

My lips pucker again. "I think you're spot on, in fact Uriah."

Uriah's eyes were staring off in the distance, with a look of impending doom slapped on his face. I craned my neck to the side, straining the muscles. An orange glow is ablaze in the near distance. Flames lick up the side of the building, men, women and children being dragged out by the scruff of their necks. Shots resounded, my heart thudding to a stop. I felt like someone hand inserted their hand in to my rib cage, crushed it to be able to lock their scrabby little fingers around my heart.

With every shot, I could just imagine my father with a stern face, lips thinned whilst my mother tried to negotiate with them, saying she was a mother, that she couldn't leave us alone in the world. I hoped with all my might that Caleb hadn't been taken hostage from Erudite. That he wasn't under a simulation too.

"It's okay Tris. It'll be okay."

I wish he hadn't said those words. My eyes starting to burn, I gritted my teeth to stop a sob coming from my throat. I was tired, I was scared and I was beyond fed up.  
I was thankful that we were coming to the edge of the corn field. We both looked a total mess. I could feel the sweat on my brow, unable to wipe it away. I was struggling to breathe, not because of the fear, because of the physical exertion. With every movement I could feel myself growing weaker. My arms felt like jelly, trembling.

"Can we put him down a second? I need to catch my breath," I rasp. I swallowed, my tongue moistening.

"We can't. We have to keep going."

"And what are we meant to do?! How do we hide Uriah - you tell me that. Where are we meant to go?"

"You lived here, you should know!" He puffs out at me. His chest is rising and falling. He's not really angry with me, he's angry at the situation he has been placed in.

"I don't suggest we break in to a building. If we really have any chance, we need to leave _him,_" my eyes point down to Four's face.

We argue for a couple of minutes. We both go red in the face, out of air. The shots are getting more and more frequent. I don't want to become one of those bodies in the street, blood pooling in the crevices of the brick road. We shuffled our feet as silently as we could. We entered a maze of winding roads with tall buildings to keep us from sight of the 'soldiers.' We hid behind a building that my father frequented sometimes for his work. I finally convinced Uriah that we needed to rest.

We had just laid Four's body down on to the ground, his head thumping down the last remaining inches when the stomping of marching feet came closer.

"Get down," I hissed. "Pretend you're dead."

He sprung in to action. His body fluidly fell to the floor, limbs splaying. It looked pretty realistic, if I was being honest with myself. I let my body become loose and limber. I placed myself with my abdomen pressing in to the bricks, my face at a crooked angle, the muscles in my face relaxed in to a frozen slumber. My arms were raised above me as if I was in a protective stance when I fell.

_STOMP. STOMP. STOMP._

I listened intently to the noise. It sounded like it was only one 'soldier'.' I wasn't going to open my eyes and squint up at them. I could feel their presence towering over me. The barrel of a gun pokes in to my back. My body wobbles in response. I can hear nothing anymore. It was eery laying down here, not even knowing if the person was still there.

Maybe they were inspecting Uriah. They probably poked him with the gun to check for a response too. Except it seemed to be taking longer than expected for the stomping noise to start again.

Uriah sneezes. I can tell by the way the noise came out that he couldn't stop it. I bite my tongue, I'm not going to lay down here and pretend to stay dead whilst he gets killed.  
I roll to my side, taking hold of the gun in one swift movement. I point and aim in the darkness at the figure, aiming for the head. My finger hesitates on the trigger for a millisecond before I pull it back. My ears ring out as the body genuinely slams in to the ground. His body is twisted, blood trickling. I can see his face this close. I can't help the sob that comes. Will's slackened face lays at my feet.

"I couldn't help it - I - I -" Uriah stammers. He pushed up from the ground, his stomach resting against his thighs. A hand is clamped around his mouth.

"I know," is all I whisper.

"Did yo-you know?"

"No," I answer. It is full of the weight I now carry on my shoulders. I feel like a ton of bricks just fell down on me. I was sniveling, trying to calm myself down. The blood had started to pool around my feet, sticky and wet.

"We have to get away from here," I whisper to him, an emptiness to my voice.

"I can't move Tris. I can't."

"Well you're going to have to," I grit my teeth at him. "You have to find your brother."

"I can't leave you," his bottom lip wobbles.

"Please. I need to be alone," I glance over at an unconscious Tobias. "As alone as I can be. I promise I won't leave him out here."

"Take the ammo from W-" I couldn't say his name. "Take it from the gun and go."

He nods solemnly, tentatively touching the gun as if it was an explosive instead. His hand is matching the wobble in his lip. He takes the rest of the rounds. I crane my neck up at him.

"Till next time," I mumble halfheartedly. I fully expected that I wouldn't see him again.

I wait till the noise of his footsteps dissipates to a soft tap, then nothing. I pull my feet away from Will's blood, coming to rest my body over his. I flatted my fingers, gently rolling them over his lids. His eyes are shut off from the world now, looking a little more at peace. Except for the wound in his forehead. The smell made my stomach churn. It smelt like death.

I wound the translucent cord that was attached to his ear, running down the right side of his neck. It was hard to pull the rest of the cable from out of his t-shirt. I managed in the end to, rubbing the part that goes in the inner ear on Eric's suit jacket. I placed it in my ear, hearing a live feed of what was going on, what was being instructed to the 'soldiers.'

I pulled myself up at that point. The blood was reaching Four's body now. I placed my arms similar to the way I had carried him through the cornfield. I dragged his body backwards across the back of the building. His legs were dragging and making a horrible scraping noise. I stopped after I had passed two more buildings, then turned to the right, then to the left. I didn't quite know where I was now. It was so dark, a black blanket thrown over the sky. I was disorientated. I couldn't believe that within a few hours, such chaos was being ripped through the factions.

I slumped down against the wall, keeping a few paces away from Four. He had started to stir, his face nuzzling against his shoulder. I didn't know what I was going to do with him. I wondered if I just gave myself in to the hands of Kaitlyn, Eric and Max that all this would stop. But I doubted that would happen. It was part of a much larger scheme than just a small girl from Abnegation.  
_  
_I could tell from what I could hear in the earpiece that we were far enough away from the war that had started. I couldn't drown out the screams and cries that were even more high pitched when they were right in the ear canal. I hadn't heard anything about Uriah. I took that as good news.

I trained the gun on Four. His head groggily rose off his shoulder, eyes squinting at me. For a moment I thought he recognized me. He lurched forward in an uncoordinated fashion, hands scrabbling for me. He pulled me towards him by my shoulders. The gun stabs us both in to the stomach until he knocks it out of my hands, throwing it to the side of us. I wanted to scream. I knew there wasn't a microphone set in the ear piece but I still didn't want to give myself away.

"You're a traitor," he slurs at me.

I surprise myself by laughing. "I think you should look at yourself first."

"You're a divergent," he accuses me. "You need to be taken in. Eric wants you. That was his order. Alive." His voice is still emotionless, barking out demands that had been sent from a higher individual.

I start to thrash about in his arms. I'm trying to kick, trying to wrestle my body from his. I kick back at him. He aggressively pulls my body up, slamming me in to the brick wall. His arm is pressed against the space between my ribs and abdomen, crushing me in, with a pining grip. With his other hand, he reaches to his back pocket, producing a sharp, glinting knife. He flattens it against my neck, his eyes soulless as he does so.

"Just because I've had the order not to kill you, doesn't mean I don't know just where your carotid artery is."

"Please. Tobias. Hear me out. Wake up. Fight it. _Please_," I plead.

He doesn't respond to me. He clicks his tongue against the roof of his mouth and speaks, just not to me.

"I found her, Sir."

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What were your thoughts? :) Till next time!


	22. Chapter 22

So I ended up writing this too today. I wanted to post this, because you are wonderful readers and I know how hard it can be waiting for the next chapter! So surprise :) This one might make you squeal, or might make you sad or just lump a whole lot of emotion on you. It's up to you how you react!

Note: I do not own these characters or the world/novels by Veronica Roth.

* * *

I was still wriggling against the wall of the building. It was only my lower body, unable to just stand still. I closed my eyes, taking a quick, deepened breath in, that overlapped several other breaths. Then exhaling it, the air tickling my cupid's bow.

"Please Tobias. You don't have to do this. You can let me go, you can let me find my family."

"You will reunited with your family soon enough," he droned on.

"I don't _want_ to reunite with them that way!" I scream at him.

I could hear the buzz and crackle of voices in my ear. They were only two blocks away now. I was done for now. They knew I was Divergent, there was nowhere that I could hide from it. It didn't matter where I was, they would hunt down and find me. Eric was like a dog with a bone, never giving in.  
The stomping noise returns. They were close enough for that. I bit down hard on my bottom lip, the cracks catching between my teeth.

My hand rose, coming to hover of the hand Tobias held the knife in. I thrust my head forward, skulls smashing against each other. I aimed for the spot I had hit him, it made a hurting squeal strangle out of his throat. My knee thudded in to his belly button. He crouched his body over, my bare foot colliding with his doubled over body. It pushes him away from me, staggering backwards. My hand now clings to the knife. I pull myself away from the wall, facing down the way the footsteps are pacing towards me. I gulped against the knife, trying to stop the tremble in my hand. I needed to get that surge of confidence that looked like I meant it.

Four looked at me with utter disgust, it made that squeezing around my heart return.  
The 'soldiers' turned to corner. Eric was leading them, with Kaitlyn in tow. He was walking with a limp, favoring the non injured foot heavily. His lips were a straight line. He had blood spattered across his shirt, with the sleeves rolled up to just below his elbow. Kaitlyn spotted Tobias, her pace quickening.

They came to stand 5 footsteps away. I pushed the knife closer in to my skin. Eric rolled his eyes.

"Oh please. That isn't going to work on me."

"I will do it. And then what will I be to you? A dead corpse."

His face flinches. "You're going to put it down slowly and calmly, okay?" He says in a low and steady voice.

I press the tip to the center of my throat. Digging it in, I felt the warm trickling burn from the now pierced skin. Both Kaitlyn and Eric's eyes flash at each other. A recognition ran through their facial expressions. They had an uneasiness fall upon them, their postures dramatically changing.

Four was trying to creep closer to me, still doubled over.

I shout at him. "Come any closer and I'll do it."

A soldier in the front row, raises a gun. Eric yells at him, his hands reacting by thrusting them forward to grab the gun. They're fighting each other. Eric is yelling for him to stand down, only he doesn't listen. The commotion traps me, I can't look away. Kaitlyn is shrieking in to hear ear piece, calling out her sisters name.

"Jeanine, make them stand down!"

The gun fires. The back fire hits the 'soldier' square in the jaw, his face snapping backwards.

Heads snap towards my direction, their faces paling. Everything has gone silent, a pin could drop and we would hear it with clarity.  
I look at them with confusion. Four has stopped creeping ever closer.

My shirt sticks to my body.

I must have sweated a lot more than I thought. My spare hand makes its way down to pull the fabric from my skin. My fingertips touch something tacky. My hand starts to wobble, a horrible dread filling my body. I bring it to the front of my face, blood coating it. Bright red liquid, dripping from my fingertips.  
It's making it's way under my fingernails. I can feel a warmth spreading through my abdomen. The knife clatters down to the ground, everything starting to go in slow motion. I can feel my body convulse. I can't feel any pain, I couldn't feel the extent of my injury.

My voice chokes out. My eyes fill with tears. I can feel my knees buckling underneath me. The ground is rushing up towards me as my body gives in. Arms catch me before my face smashes in to the brickwork. They pull me towards their body, cradling my head in the crook of their arm. I can feel the blood drain from my face, traveling down so it can start to gush out of the wound. The entirety of the lower half of my shirt is sticking to me. My vision is blurring, fear choking up my insides.

I can just about make out his face. My body starts to feel icy cold, spreading from my heart, swirling throughout my body. I swallow, choking on my spit. I cough, my chest feeling heavy. His hands press hard down on to the wound, making a sharp hissing wince pass my teeth.

My head rolls, eyelids trying to force my eyes shut. My body is very carefully moved, my head being gently supported in his lap. Through my squinting, I can see his eyes. His face doesn't show it, the worry that I can see in his eyes. I feel so tired and sleepy, losing feeling in my toes. I close my eyes. My consciousness starts to ebb away.

Eric's hand slaps against my cheek. My eyes snap open, with a momentary alertness. His voice sounds like it is in the distance, distorted.

"Stay with me," he murmurs to me. I try and look around me, I can't see anyone else. Eric must have seen the wild look that was in my eyes, the disorientation.

"They're getting you help."

My hand weakly rises, taxing my energy. I'm attempting to push his hand away from the wound in my abdomen. He whispers to me no several times, placing my hand back down by my side. His hand that is against the wound is drenched in blood. There is no pink flesh that I can see.

"Just let me die," I try to say. It comes out slurred.

"Don't say that," he says angrily. Lines are forming around his mouth as it frowns, a corner twitching.

"I'm dying - I can feel it." The words choke me up. My chin shakes.

"You're not going to die, you hear me?" He doesn't demand it. He's questioning me.

"You just want to keep me alive to be your lab rat," I hiss at him. My abdomen rises as I try to do it, wincing.

He flinches again. It looks like he just got slapped in the face by an invisible hand.

"You're wrong," his voice is quiet, I strain to hear it. He brushes stray bits of hair from my forehead, stroking my hair. It's like how my mother would have done when I was a child. It feels reassuring. It confuses me. I'm struggling to stay awake. I know I should. I know a wound like this and falling unconscious is near certain death. It's so hard, fighting against a force that I won't win with.

"I feel co-cold."

His head bows down, chin resting centimeters from nose. His lips tenderly brush over mine. They're already parted, his bottom lip filling the gap. I can taste the salt on his lips. It's so gentle and soft. His touch lingers. He doesn't try to kiss me harder, he just keeps his lips against mine. My face tickles from his breath on my face.

I can feel the tingle on my lips even after he's moved away. Eric moved his head so that his eyes were in line with mine. It emotionally hurts to look at him, to see the aching on his face.

"Eric," is all I can muster. His head shakes at me, trying to silence me.

Something rises in my throat. It forces it's way out of my mouth, blood spluttering through my teeth. It dribbles down my chin. I can't stop the tears that start to roll down the sides of my face. They're making tracks down to my ears, pooling. I have internal bleeding.

He looks to the side, listening. He must have been told something in his ear piece. He must of removed mine when I was unconscious.

"They're coming. Just hold on."

"I can't."

"_Please._" He pleads. He caresses the side of my face.

"Are you in love with me?" My speech is slurring again. My head is on the brink of shutting down again. I'm mumbling things I didn't even know I wanted to ask.

"I don't know," he mumbles.

"If you were, you'd let me die."

Eric looks down at me strongly. There is something in his expression that says "tough, it's not going to happen, not under my watch."

"I ruined the dress."

"I ruined your life," he says ever so softly.

"I want to sleep," I say.

"There will be time for sleep. There will be time for many of things. There will be life for you. You just can't sleep right now."

"A life of painful tests, interrogation and torture, you mean."

He looks so conflicted. I cough more blood, the pressure in my chest amplifying. Purple and black spots are dancing in my vision. My eyelids are heavy once more. I don't try to stop them. I barely feel the tapping against my cheek, trying to keep me with him. I give in to it.

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I would definitely love to hear your thoughts on this chapter in particular! I think this has to be one of the hardest chapters I have written so far. Till next time (which should be soon.)


	23. Chapter 23

Oh wow, your thoughts on the last chapter were wonderful! They did make me squee a bit. I'm so glad you're enjoying the story and feel attached to it :)  
Don't worry though, there are plenty more chapters to come along, it isn't ending in the next couple of chapters! Hopefully that will make you feel reassured.

Note: I do not own these characters or own the world/novels by Veronica Roth.

* * *

I can't open my eyes. The sheer amount of energy it would take is too much. I'm starting to feel a hot searing pain in my abdomen. It makes me want to scream and pull my hair out.

I can hear voices faintly. It comes and goes, not able to pick up the thread of a conversation fully.

"What are you... sedate her..."

"No!... Charge... Stand down..."

Something sharp is inserted in to my arm. It's painful, a feeling like venom circulating. I'm lifted in to the air, thudded none to lightly on to a gurney. They strap my arms and legs down beside me but I can't fight them. I can't even speak up. The pain isn't settling, it's intensifying, only my consciousness seems to disappear.

I don't know if it was me that groaned, moments before the empty darkness slammed in to me.

I scream. The pain in my abdomen is quite literally killing me. I can feel the damage it has done. My throat is dry and rough, the after effects of the scream is like sand being poured down my throat. My arms and legs thrash, something restricting them. My eyes open wildly. There are faces in front of me. They're blurry and I can't make them out. The smell of bleach wafts up to my nostrils, making me want to be sick.

I can see the leather buckles that keep my ankles and wrists attached to railings beside me. I think I'm in a hospital bed. The pain doesn't come in waves, it's like a tsunami that crashes and destroys. The pain is intolerable. I want to black out but I can't.

My vision is adjusting now. I'm in a room that is blank of colour. Everything is white, just like my simulation with Four. The only real colour I can see is the blood that carries on gushing out of my body. It's soaking the sheets underneath me. The more I wriggle, the more the pain is intensifying.

"Would you please calm it down?" A voice drawls. It matches with Jeanine's face. She looks terribly annoyed, looking at me like an unbehaving specimen.

A man in white mutters something to her that makes Jeanine roll her eyes.

"Can it talk?" She asks him. He shakes his hand side to side. I think he's trying to say maybe. I'm offended for being reffered to as "it." I don't want to talk. I can't. My body is throwing these screams out of me and they're unstoppable.

I recognise Max. He's got a large white padding and gauze attached to his ear. Or where his ear was. His head is titled to the side, like how a child would if they had ear pain. Then Kaitlyn. She looks pristine. In fact they all look pristine. Even Four looks like he has dressed up for something formal. He's in the very corner of the room, staring blankly ahead, his arms tight by his side.

Eric's body comes in to view. It's hard to see his face, he's standing against the bed near to where my head lays. He faces them, rather than me. He doesn't look like he's changed. He's still standing in the shirt and trousers he was in earlier. There is the addition of my blood on him. I have to look away.

Jeanine gives a nod of approval to the man in white, stepping towards the bed. Her feet tip tap in her shoes.

"Eric, hold her mouth shut. Her screaming is starting to weigh down my tolerance."

He does what she says without hesitation. His palm covers my mouth, fingers laying just above my jaw. My screams become muffled underneath. I try to wriggle my face away but he clamps down harder. Jeanine lowers her face down to meet mine.

"Tris, nice to meet you again. Now, you're going to listen to me. Just listen."

I can't be captivated by her, not with the pain that rips through my body. I can feel a large amount of blood suddenly pump out. My eyes water in response. I'm not crying, but they will only see it as that.

"You've been shot. I was nice enough," she says, trying to compare this to perhaps baking someone a cake, "to bring you to my headquarters. I was going to eventually. Although you have terribly messed up things. You like to do that don't you?"

Eric's hand becomes warm against my face.

"I will fix you up," she says with a smile. "But I wanted to converse with you first."

My eyes squeeze shut in pain.

"I'm looking for _special_ people. You're one of them. You want something from me - your life at this very moment - and I want something from you. Tests."

"Is she even listening to me?" She asks around her. She fusses at Eric's hand, telling him to move it. I take an intake of breath, I feel the blood rise in my throat.

"Are you?" She questions me. I give her a small nod, struggling to do so.

"So Tris, how does that sound?"

"It sounds... Like... You're... Going... To Kill... Me... Anyway," I choke out.

Fours eyes flash to mine for a mere second. Something dawns on his face. He quickly moves them back. There was a twitch in his fingers. I break my gaze away. I don't know what this means but I sure knew not to bring attention to it.

"What a clever young girl. That is true. But I'm sure you crave life much more, even if it is for a short amount of time, yes?"

I was always taught in Abnegation to not negotiate with bad people. Once you allow it once, they know they can walk all over you.

"Just let...me die."

Jeanine sighs. She gets out a handheld, that has a screen. She flicks a button, similar to the one Eric had shown me with Caleb on it. It's bought to life. I person sits, tied to a chair. I don't know who they are, my recognition skills either failing me or I have never met them.

"For every time you say no, this will happen."

A gun is pressed to the strangers head. It goes off. Their body slumps to the side. The camera is sprayed with blood. I turn my head to the side where Eric stands, trying to nestle in to the pillows to scrub the image from my mind.

"Well?" She asks.

"F-fine," I stammer out. My body is soaked in blood and sweat. I feel clamy, sticky and dirty.

A delighted expressions is lit up in Jeanine's face. She walks towards the rest of the group, ushering them out. She leaves Eric to stand by me, with Four still placed in the corner. He has a gun this time. She tells what presumably is a doctor to go and talk to his staff to prepare them for my surgery.

I can just about make out his voice when he says "I can't ready them that quickly. You sent them to help Erudite. It could take at minimal fifteen minutes to call them back, then they have to scrub in. The bullet is still inside her body, she doesn't have long."  
I feel like praying for them not to return fast enough. It would be the easy way out, I wouldn't give them what they truly wanted. _I_ would win.

They've exited the room now. I don't know where they've gone to.

My body is starting to convulse again. My elbows smack in to the railings, my legs jolting against the covers. Eric's hands clamp my arms down against the railings. It helps them, they still shake but are contained. He shouts at Four to hold my legs down. Fours hands are cold against my bare flesh. He looks at me with a steady gaze before I can feel my eyes rolling in to the back of my head.

I think one of them said my name. I can't hear properly, I have no control right now. The thrashing takes all my attention.

Eventually my body just stops. My legs release their tension, relaxing. My arms lay limp under Eric's touch, eyes returning to a normal position.  
I look at Eric. He looks a mess. His hair is like a birds nest, all scruffed up. There is blood smeared across his face. My blood carries on soaking the sheets. I can feel something trying to press down on it but its not Eric or Four's hands.

"Do you remember anything?" Eric asks cautiously. He turns, ordering Four back to the corner.

"I know my name," I answer. I can see a tiny movement in Eric's lips, curving upwards. He puffs out a bit of air through his nose as it happens.

"I meant about the alleyway."

"I got shot."

He nods at me. He looks reserved, holding something back.

"Anything else?" Eric questions.

I closed my eyes to try and think. It was hard to comprehend anything. His hand slapped against my cheek, thinking I was losing consciousness. I think an annoyed expression flashes through my eyes as I open them. I speak through intermixed screams.

"You held me," I stammer. "You -" I don't know why I do it. I look around the room, to check for cameras. He shakes his head at me, confirming a "no" silently. I can see Four while I do it. His stance is still like a soldier, though something sparkles in his eye that is more humane.

"You kissed me," I say.

"I've kissed you a lot of times," he smirks. It looks cheeky.

"No. You_ kissed _me."

His fingers pinch the bridge of his nose as he looks away from me. He looks exhausted. I'm starting to shiver, the cold rushing through me again.

"I was hoping that would be forgotten," his voice sounds heavy.

"Maybe you should stop kissing me, then I wouldn't have something to forget."

He pinches the bridge of his nose harder. His mouth screws up.

"Is this all a game to you, Eric?"

He doesn't look at me. He orders Four out of the room.

"You're cruel, manipulative, force yourself upon me... Make me do things I didn't want to, hurt me. _You_ hurt people. Were you meant to get close to me? Try to make me feel something for you?" As I spoke, it was rushed. I had to force the words out quickly, they overlapped each other and didn't make total sense.

"Why do you want to know?"

"Because I'm dying."

Eric sighs heavily. He doesn't answer me, he's being a coward.

"Do you remember anything else, Tris?"

I mutter a "no" to him. He looks relieved, removing his fingers from the bridge of his nose.

"You can't have it both ways," I hiss through my teeth at him. His face looks hurt. He plops his body down on the side of the bed. His hand rests upon mine, stroking my knuckles. It's such a small movement but still makes my chest become tight.

"I know that."

"When did it happen?"

He looks at me confused. He stops stroking my hand.

"What did you just say?"

"When Eric?"

"You lied. You do remember, don't you?"

I attempt a smirk.

"I don't know. I don't know when it happened. It just hit me when I thought you were going to die."

"So it was just... because of that?" I accuse him.

"No! No. I don't... it's complicated."

My chest is heaving, the blood finally making it's way in to my mouth. It froths out the side of my mouth. He gets a tissue, wiping it away from my mouth.

"Close your eyes," he whispers to me softly. He's close to my body, I can smell his scent - the caramlised taste of scotch.

"I want one thing from you before you go in to surgery."

I do what he says. I close them, the blackness that falls behind them furthers my worries.  
I lay there, helpess as Eric's fingers entwine in mine. They fit perfectly. I let my fingers rest against his, not trying to fight it away. His other hand travels up from my neck. His thumb rests against my jaw, his fingers touching my cheek. He uses gentle brush strokes against the flesh, making my stomach tingle and my ears burn red. I sense the presence of his face hovering over mine.

"I want you to tell me that this doesn't make you feel anything."

"That, this," his lips almost touch mine, a cruel game of waiting. It makes me yearn for something. His bottom lip flicks against my top one, the touch here and then all of a sudden gone, "doesn't make you want more."  
A little moan escapes my throat and I anger myself for letting myself succumb to this. Shouldn't I be angry at all the things he has done to me? Instead I am chained up to a bed once again, his touch sending me crazy.

I imagine the smirk that is plastered on his face. He would be so proud of himself, he wouldn't be able to help it. He wanted to see if I would react to him. He hadn't even kissed me and I was already giving him a concrete answer. I didn't know what happened from here on out.

His lips touch to the base of my throat. He suckles the skin, distracted from the pain, a headyness forming.

"Uh-huh," I grunt to him.

"Tris," he whispers.

I let a small moan escape my lips. "I -" His teeth graze my bottom lip. "So?" His words tingle against my lips.

"Why me?"

"You're not answering my question."

"I want to say no-o, but-"

"You don't know why, you just know that the feelings exist - right?"

"I can't breathe."

"Am I taking your breath away?" He jokes.

My voice becomes a rasp. "No, I literally can't breathe." My lungs felt like a desert, dry and rough. I coughed, feeling like I was going to hack up a lung.

"Eric-c, my chest -"

My chest is tighening. My heart contracting. My fingers dig in to the palms of my hand as a tingling sensation rises up my left arm. I'm grunting repetively. He backs away from my body, shouting for someone. The middle of my body feels like it's twitching. Loud noises rush in to the room. I can hear someone saying they're charging something. My eyes are rolling, the world spinning in to a vortex. Panels are slammed on to my ribs. A ringing noise, followed by "CHARGE!"

I can feel my body vibrate. My eyes shake. My chest rises from the bed, being pulled up by the panels. It hits back down on the bed. A body places on top of mine in the bed. I scream at them, their legs pined against my thighs. The panels pull at my chest again. The bed is moving whilst the charges run through my body.

"Get to the operating room, now!"

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A true, dun dun dun. Till next time - your thoughts are wonderful. :)


	24. Chapter 24

Apologies this is such a short chapter. I've been holding in this plot line till the right moment, something that adds my own twist on this story. I can promise though that there will be FourxTris moments for those that are wondering, mixed with EricxTris.

Thank you so much for all your kind reviews, follows, favorites and for making this story reach over 18,500 views. You are an amazing lot!

Note: I do not own the novels/world created by Veronica Roth.

* * *

My head rolls side to side against a pillow. There is a rattling noise, wheels going over flooring with some speed. I choke on something that rises in my throat. A hand forces my head to one side, the contents of my mouth over flowing. I can feel tubes connected, piercing flesh, noises beeping in my ear. I'm coming in and out of consciousness. A mask is clamped over my mouth and nose, forcing air in to my lungs. I feel a lightness wash over me, lifting me off to hallucinogenic dreams.

I'm awake with my eyes shut, somebody in the room being informed by a doctor that I have been out for two days. They managed to get all of the bullet out, a piece had fractured off, embedding in an organ. They described it as "not incredibly fatal." I still had my wrists and ankles tied to the railings. More guards had been positioned outside of my room. The battle was still raging, Abnegation not giving in. My thoughts were with Will. My emotions came in a rushing flood, breaking down the dam I had set to stop them. I'd cried so much in grief, I howled. My body wracked with grief, abdominal bruising and exhaustion made me fit for nothing. I hoped they would see it as me crying in my sleep.

I couldn't plot a scheme of escape, I knew nothing bar these four walls. Was I even in Erudite? How was I meant to get to my family? Were they even still alive?  
I try to count the minutes go by, as they turn in to hours, absent of human contact. I can hear voices trail just outside the door. I promptly relax my closed eyes, pretending to be asleep. Seems like the best plan for an awful situation.

There are two different people in the room. One is clip clapping in high heel shoes. She's heavily scented of lavender, she has utterly drenched herself in it. The smell of scotch tells me Eric is the other person. My stomach feels tight, in knots. My calves lock, my body betraying me in staying still. It is a reaction to the heightened stress of the situation.

"You know, Eric - I'm surprised. In fact, I pass on my congratulations at how well you've made her 'attached' to you."

The knot squeezes, a snake in my stomach, curling it's tail, trying to wrench the life from me.

"Thank you," he says curtly.

"Does she know?" She asks delighted.

"No."

"Wonderful. I wonder, perhaps it will display Divergence as well?"

_It? _Is she referring to me?

"What happens to... it? To her?"

Jeanine laughs. "Why do you ask? Are you developing feelings for her?"

"Of course not."

"I could understand it, almost. She is carrying your child after all."

An unknown feeling washes over me in a tidal wave. Overwhelming shock. I was carrying a child? Am carrying a child?

"It was a close call," Jeanine says. "If that bullet had been any lower, we would have lost something very precious to our experiments. The price on her head has gone up."

"Does this mean extra security?"

"Yes. I expect you and your team to be manning the room at all times. Keep her close, emotionally and _physically._ She will be less likely to attempt an escape if she doesn't want to wrench herself and your child away."

"When will the tests begin on her?" Eric asks.

"Soon. When she has been alert enough for a day, speaking normally. We can't have deliriousness messing up my test results."

There must have been an exchange of glances that I couldn't see. Because the next thing to happen is the clip clapping of Jeanine's shoes disappearing from the room.

I allow myself to mentally scream. Was this really happening to me? Erudite was the most medically advanced faction, if anyone would know it would be them. I don't hear Eric leave the room. He simply sits on the edge of the bed, making it dip in the corner, towards his body. I didn't know how to process this fact. I was so drunk that night - was this the plan all along? Or was it just an unexpected cause from unprotected sex?

I kept my eyes closed for hours. I listened to the beep of the machines next to the bed, until I felt ready to look in to his eyes. I felt so much more reserved now. Was his feelings genuine, or pretend? What was happening with Four? I wanted to believe he would come out of the simulation and save me, but that salvation seemed limited. I could imagine my death here quite easily, having it come just days ago. I never really understood the phrase "at deaths door" until now.

I force a groan. I move my head side to side against the pillow. My eyes flutter open, pretending to focus on points around the room. My vision was still not with a hundred percent clarity. I focused on Eric's face. He looked like he was trying to care. Or was he? This caused such a confused state. I didn't know what was real and what wasn't.

"Hello sleepyhead," Eric smirks.

"How long was I out for?" My voice is low and croaky.

"Two days. I thought I nearly lost you."

I want to shout at him, ask him if it's real. I swallow the feeling down, along with the bile that had risen in my throat.

"What happened with my chest?"

His teeth pulls on his lips, biting down on it. "You had a minor heart attack."

I can feel the shakes occur in my body. It was too much all at once.

"Is my family still alive?"

"For the time being," he mutters.

"For the time being? Are they prisoners?" I might as well exploit this whole manipulating me in to feeling to benefit myself.

"I can't tell you that Tris."

He stops perching on the side of the bed. Getting up, he moves towards me. I instinctively flinch away. Eric narrows his eyes at me.

"I'm not going to hurt you," he raises his hands in a pledge of surrender. Eric leans over the bed, placing a kiss on my forehead. His lips are warm against my cold head. I feel feverish inside, the outside dry as a bone, cold as marble.

"Get some rest, you've got a lot ahead of you."

"When will I die, Eric?"

He won't look at me as he answers. "It's not been scheduled yet."

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Were you expecting that?! Sorry for the shorter chapter, I just wanted to get this up for you all. Thank you again for the reviews. :) Till next time!


	25. Chapter 25

Your reactions were great! It does make me smile hearing your thoughts. Some of you should be really proud of yourselves for getting plot lines before I post the chapter for them. Although I completely surprised you with what is happening with Tris!

Note: I do not own the novels/world created by Veronica Roth.

* * *

Many doctors come in and out, checking my pulse, adjusting tubes. They link tubes around my ears, two stumps pressed in to my nostrils. It helps, making the tightness in my chest eased. The strain everything has taken on my body has sent me spiraling in to a never ending fatigue. All I wish for right now is to be able to move, stretch my body, maybe even sit up.

I'm not allowed to eat. They're starving me out, in case I have to go in to surgery again. They give me a glucose drip. I have the upper hand here. They can't threaten me with minimal food, or none at all. That would affect the "precious growth of the baby," I imagine Jeanine saying. My world is still rocked by all of this. In a matter of seconds, it all crumbled down - the wants and needs I decided became the wants and needs for two people. I was too young to be dealing with something as huge as this.

Hours pass again. I'm trying to think back, to that night. How long ago it was. I estimate a month, possibly longer but I cannot be sure. My brain has been so starved there isn't as much fluidity. I'm able to get some sleep, trying to minimize the tossing and turning that will occur. I can see that perhaps these restraints are good after all during sleep, they keep me from ripping any stitches.

My eyes bolt open, sucking in a deep breath. I could sense something menacing. I blink, my eyelashes meshing together. The beeps on the heart rate monitor is going off the chart. It starts to slow down when I realize Kaitlyn is in the room.

Her arms are crossed, lips pursed. Her hair is in a sharp line, a razor edge you could almost cut your finger on.

"What do you want?" I spit at her. I'm in no mood for her.

"If you continue like that, perhaps I won't be so kind."

I sigh deeply. I nod my head at her.

"We are willing to let you get up and about. Inside the room."

"Why?" I question. It seems too good to be true.

"Because we can't leave you to decondition."

My eyebrows raise. "I'm guessing some kind of test relies on my physical capabilities?"

I notice how she appears to be keeping eye contact but isn't. Her eyes seem to have floated to the bridge of my nose.

"Something like that."

She continues. "There isn't anything in this room you can use as a weapon. Don't even bother."

Kaitlyn finishes the distance between the both of us. Her hands weave in to the buckles, loosening them from my wrist. I can see red lines where the leather had cut in to my flesh. Once both of my wrists are released, I bring them to my chest. My fingers gently massage the sores. I feel free. I wriggle my legs in the bed, entwining with the sheets. A little sigh escapes from my chest. It feels so much better to be able to curl my body up. Kaitlyn watches me like a cat in the sun, crawling to get the best spot.

After a while, she leaves me in my silence. I pull myself in to a sitting position, my back aches. It feels like the bones of my spine have been used as a musical instrument, played too hard and for too long. I stopped at the last minute as my hand etched towards my stomach. I could understand now, why an expectant mother would hold her stomach - it was something that was instilled in to you as a female.

The rest of the day went by with nobody coming to disturb me. I could hear guards change their shifts outside my door, I at least knew that it was night time. It wasn't until now I felt well enough to dangle my feet over the side of the bed. My toes touched the cold linoleum floor. The balls of my feet took my weight. I held on tight to the railings of the bed as I attempted to stand. It was hard, I couldn't deny that. My knees shook, my stomach muscles clenched in, making the abdominal bruising ache further.

I wasn't going to push it. In truth, I did need my strength. And I wasn't going to get it back by over doing it. The rest and recuperation that they wanted me to partake in was actually needed.

I rested my body back down upon the bed, not even having taken a step. A new wave of fatigue had settled in my body. I pulled my body on to it's side, curling my legs up so my ankles touched my thighs. My fingers linked, elbows resting against each other. My forefingers rested upon my lips gently. So dosed up on painkillers, I was hoping this would be an a sleep that would not be interrupted by the likes of pain _or _people.

Time started to become lost. I hadn't been visited by anyone bar doctors in what I thought was at least five days. On the third day, I had mustered enough strength now to be able to get up and pace around a little. I took a lot of time just sitting upright, contemplating my situation. I slept a lot.

It occurred to me that this was probably phase one of their testing. You observe a creature before you trap it. I was trapped, but hadn't really been observed.

There was utter silence in the room, twenty four, seven when a doctor wasn't here. Even then they didn't speak to me, even if I asked them a question. They would check my vitals, leave me some liquidated food.

I was near to bursting point. I had sat on the bed, feet dangling over the side and wailed. Tears streamed down my face, my eyes puffing. My nose ran, causing me to sniffle. The tears fell in to my palms, my upper body shaking. If they had intended to break my spirit, it was working. Isolation wasn't easy.

I didn't know if it was hormones. I knew the sickness I had been feeling, the amount of buckets I had thrown the contents of my stomach in to early in the morning was definitely to do with this... pregnancy. It still sounded like a foreign concept. I hadn't been able to bathe properly bar strip washes. I had turned away in to a corner when I did, my bare back only facing the doorway. They claimed there hadn't been any cameras. They lied. I knew there had to be, because as soon as something spiked, I started to look a little more unwell than I should do a doctor was immediately there.

I could hear the door creak open. He rushed towards me. His hands tried to pry my arms away from my face. I argued with his body, not wanting him to see my face in an utter mess.

"Tris," he pleaded with me.

"No! I screamed. It took a great deal of time for him to calm me down. He pushed me against his chest, his hands cradling my head. I bashed my arms against him, trying to break away. My sobs turned from ones of anguish to misery. He had whispered things in to my ear, flattening my hair to my scalp.

"What is so wrong?" Eric asks when he allows me to be released from his grip. His hands are caressing my face, his thumbs wiping away the tears on my face.

"I can't take this. You have to get me out of here, Eric," I whisper in a frenzy to him.

"I can't, I'm so sorry. I can't."

"Please, you need to."

His face looks so conflicted. His forehead rests against mine, his eyes closing. Eric's eyelashes are thick and long, resting against the top of his cheek.  
In my current state I wasn't acutely aware of my actions. My hand had rested upon my stomach, trying to take strength from it. I snatched it away before he could see it. I told him to just leave me alone, I wasn't in the mood for this. I wanted my own time. He looked mortally wounded as I said it. Eric left.

It was another few days before I got a visitor. My face had become an emotionless mask. I was growing weary, actually wanting to have the tests, just so I could have some human contact. Not that it would be humane.

I was so relieved to see Four's face that is nearly broke me in to a spiral of tears again. He had walked in to the room with such a great posture, I almost didn't notice his face. It too broke down, like a damn when he saw me. His eyes were his own They were Tobias. I let out a puff of air.

His head moved to the side ever so gently. Signalling to be to be quiet.

"I'm here to escort you. It's time for your first test."

He nodded toward the bed. I hopped in to it, as he released the locks that kept it secured. He came up beside me. pushing away the bed. It wobbled, the bed wasn't comfortable to be in as it ran across the floor.

I'm wheeled through many corridors, the edges of the bed smacking against the sharp wall edges. It's like an electric shock every time, targeting the bruises that cover my body.

We reach an elevator. Four presses the button, ringing for it to come to our level. The bed is shoved inside, Four squished against the wall. He is still staring ahead in that absent minded way. I wondered if this was all a trick. Or a dream. Maybe I was in a coma. We rise, heading towards the top level. The door pings open. Four is pushing me fast down the corridor, till we reach a door.

"I'm going to get you out of here," he whispers to me.

I wince, my face pulling together, twisted as he helps me shuffle to the side of the bed. When my feet touch the floor, I can feel the weakness that has still settled in to my body, despite the gentle exercise I have been doing. I place my arm around Fours shoulders as he wraps his delicately around my waist. I'm pressed snugly against his body. We shuffle, the door handle turns under Fours touch, it opens. In front of us is a set of stairs. I let out a deep puff of air.

"I don't think I can climb all those." I'm walking with a limp, my body weight leaning in to Fours heavily. He shakes his head to me. Leaning me against the wall, he tries to shut the door in silence. There is a lock on our side, he pushes against it. A loud click sounds out.

Four opens his arms out in front of me, bending down. He rests one behind my knees, the other around my shoulders.

"Ready?" I nod to him, preparing to feel the pain. He lifts me in to his arms. It makes him stagger backwards, adjusting to my added weight. Trudging up the stairs as quickly as he can, my body is bouncing against his. I wind my arms around his neck, his face pulling closer to mine. My head is nestled against his chest, the drumming sound of his heart throbbing against my ear canal.

We reach the top of the stairs. Four places me down, asking if I'm okay. I give him another nod, trying to catch my breath. The pain is returning to my abdomen, trying to keep a steady flow of breaths to stop from passing out.  
Four kicks out against the door, it slams open. A cold wind rushes at my bare ankles. I was only in a pair of white linen shorts and a thin, almost see through tank top.

C'mon," Four comes to support me once more.

The roof has a lot of grit under foot. I'm struggling to walk, feeling a horrible taste in my mouth.

"Tobias, where are we going?"

We stop. He turns his body to mine, hands embracing my face.

"I couldn't find another way out. I'm sorry - you're going to have to do some jumping."

"Jumping?!"

"I'm sorry." His words were saying he was sorry for a hell of a lot more.

My hands wind in my hair, trying to relieve the stress. It all had happened so quickly. I had known that day when I saw something twinkle in his eyes, he was more of the Tobias I knew. How he got out of the simulation, was unknown. I wanted to know everything. Tobias pulls me down towards the roof, trying to keep out of sight.

I sink in to the grit on the roof, it scrapes at my knees.

"You don't understand, I don't think I can."

"The abdominal wound? It should be healed enough for this."

I shake my head. I know the next thing I say, could break the whole plan of Four wanting to get me out of here.

"I've been throwing up every day for the last couple of weeks. Only limited to the mornings."

I didn't know if he knew. I doubt they would have really told him.

"What - What does that mean?" Four stammers.

"I'm pregnant, Tobias. I'm just so sorry."

"Do they know?" His voice wavers.

"Of course. It's the only way I found out."

"Do they know you know?"

"I'm pretty sure they don't."

"I certainly didn't know," he scratches his forehead. His face is such a display of emotions, I can't pick out one precisely.

"I hate to push you to do this Tris but we don't have time. We will, when we get to Abnegation. But right now, you have to be strong. You have to jump, you have to climb, you have to run. Do you understand that? It isn't just about you anymore."

I look down towards my stomach.

"Not just like that," he mutters.

* * *

Till next time :)


	26. Chapter 26

Another chapter! :)

Note: I don't own the world/novels created by Veronica Roth.

* * *

I could feel the burn in my legs. Tobias took his hand in mine, soft and warm. His fingers curled around mine, holding on to me for dear life. I squeezed his hand as we rose. To be able to jump to the next roof we had to take a running start. Keeping low made it harder, our bodies needed to be tall to make the jump. The next roof top isn't too far, we could make the jump successfully.

Sprinting toward the roofs edge, my feet were cut by the grit under foot. Forcing my body off of the edge, my legs suspended in air momentarily, the adrenaline was finally kicking in. My heart crashed in the encasing of my chest as I landed. I took the landing blow in to my ankles, shooting up to my knees. I grunt, breaking my contact with Tobias. I keep as low to the roof as I can, holding my body up by resting my body on my thighs.

"We have to _go,"_ Tobias urges me on.

I just have to fight through it. If I can get away to safety, be able to see my family I will be better off. I start to feel the developing pang inside my chest of leaving here behind. It didn't matter what Eric did to me, how much he hurt me, betrayed me - possibly even loved me, my feelings were evident. They were hard to shy away from and a guilty uneasiness took hold of the situation. Hadn't I wanted for Tobias to wake up and take me away from here? I didn't want to die.

There was a lot of rooftops until the train. The distances ranged from just a hop, to a leap that was so far we possibly couldn't make it. It was hard work on the both of us. From the third rooftop down, we could hear the noises start to rise from soldiers below us. Tobias had to give me another encouraging speech to be able to get me going. It was more physically exerting that the initiation training I recently went through. I could see the red flush in Tobias' face, the sweat that formed on his brow.

The train would soon be commandeered by the Erudite soldiers is we weren't quicker. It started to turn from a gentle crossing against the roof, that then developed in to a sprint to jump to a constant sprint. Our free hands were pumping against our sides, legs striding forward. I tried to ignore the pain forming the best I could. Thankfully the adrenaline was turning the dial down enough to keep me going.

We were near the outer edge of Erudite, able to see the landscape in the distance. It had started to become dark, entering in to a dark blue. Tobias pulled me to a stop, his arm throwing out in front of my chest. My ribcage slammed in to the muscle of his arm, winding me.

"The fire escape, over there," he points. A rusted ladder attached to the side of the roof is in view. It doesn't look very sturdy. I press it with my boot making it rattle. My eyebrow raises as I turn to look at Tobias.

"Are you serious?"

"There isn't any other way, unless you like a thirteen floor jump to death," he snaps back at me. Pursing my lips at him, trying to not let him get to me.

He takes the first step on to it, looking concerned himself. I can see where his knuckles have become white against the ladder railing where he is gripping it so hard.

"I'll be below you in case anything happens. It'll be okay, Tris," he tries to reassure.

To be able to climb off the side of it, you grab on to these support handles, stepping backwards off the roof. My feet very tentively touch to the metal. I can feel the roughness of it under my bare feet. I was starting to wish I had somehow found some shoes, the railing dug right in to the arch of my foot.

It was a long way down. I had to wait to hear Tobias release the rung beneath me before I could move my feet. We soon got in to the pattern of it. The sound of Tobias' feet hitting against the ground is blissful to my ears. His hands touch against my waist to help me with the final step. I land with a plop and no sooner have my feet touched the grass I'm sprinting again.

It's easier when it's on flat, level ground. The noise of the train is close, unless we quicken our pace we won't make it to the train in time. The burn intensifies, the wind whipping around our faces violently. The smell of the air is musty, wood burning in the distance. Our chests are rising and falling deeply.

"Faster!" he screams at me.

We make it. Just in time. My arm is nearly yanked off as I throw myself in to train car. Tobias and I land in a heap on the floor together, my arm wrapped around his torso. He's watching me with steady eyes, not moving a muscle. I take my arm away slowly, backing away against the side of the train car. I prop myself up.

"How bad is it in Abnegation?" I ask in a distant voice, watching the world go by just outside the open cart door.

"There are thousands that lay dead in the streets. It smells of death."

"Do you remember anything that happened while you were under the simulation?"

"Bits of it. It's still a little foggy."

"I wish it was like that for me."

"Will?" He asks tentatively.

I nod in response.

"I remember... hurting you." He says, pausing. "I remember how Eric reacted in that alleyway."

"I don't want to talk about Eric," I mutter.

"You're seriously not going to discuss this with me? You're carrying his _child_."

I turn to him in a furious state, my eyes flaring. "Yes, yes I am. What you're really avoiding is asking me how I feel about him, so go ahead, Four - go ahead!"

"Well do you?"

My hand hides my eyes. I breathe in a deep breath. "I have no idea."

"Seems it is mutual between the both of you, that," he mumbles under his breath.

"Just get me out of here and then we can talk," I say. I let his voice wander, not paying attention. I tip my head back against the wall of the train car, closing my eyes giving my body a much needed rest.

We are safe, out of Erudite.

* * *

Till next time!


	27. Chapter 27

I am so sorry its been a few days! I tried to make the chapter as long as I could in the time I had. It is lovely hearing from you - I can see some of you really want to see a fourxtris moment happen, so I promise you will have one soon :)

Note: I do not own the world/novels by Veronica Roth.

* * *

The chaos that reaped the ground that whizzed past us was shocking. I had never expected to see such brutality. It made me sick to my very core seeing children as young as five murdered in cold blood. I didn't know how anyone could want to be a part of this when their free will was in tact. It took about an hour to get in to Abnegation, in which time Tobias had come to sit next to me, apologising for being snappy. He felt very traumatised by the situation, being stuck in a body that is betraying your true thoughts. Sometimes he felt as if he was awake inside his mind, acutely aware of everything his body was doing. He felt the guilt of those he had killed. He thoughtfully took his jacket off, draping it over my shoulders when I began shivering. My head rested against his shoulder, breathing him in. He still smelt the same, even though he was covered in dirt. It just added an after tone of earth.

"Please don't tell my parents," I whisper to him. "I don't want to worry them."

"It isn't my news to tell, you do whatever you feel is right." He plants a kiss on the top of my head. "I will stand beside you no matter what."

"How did everything get so well and truly messed up?"

"We know who is to blame for that."

I groaned. "Please don't start Tobias. Can we just be happy that we have found each other once more under some very crazy circumstances?"

"Okay," he whispers to me.

We stayed like that for some time. Our chests began rising and falling in our own rhythm we had created. I started to feel safe the further I was away from Erudite. The train had started to slow down near the factions edge. We helped pull each other up, hands in hand. I looked at Tobias, a flush in his face, a smile creeping across those beautiful features.

Taking a running leap, we flew in to the air, crouching in to a ball to break apart, rolling down the hill. Brambles dug in to the fabric of my shorts, thorns slicing against my skin. I put my body in to a defensive posture, making my body come to a stop.

I let a sound of relief flutter out when I saw Tobias was safe. He had a nasty gash from a thorn on his neck.

We didn't lay down against the ground for long. Bits of dry grass clung to my hair, it smelt like it was rotting. I could see the outskirts of our home. The grey, colourless buildings that rose out of the ground. Tobias knew the location we were going to, keeping it a secret for his own reasons he wouldn't explain.

I had to pinch my fingers to my nose to block the smell. The metallic twang of dried blood in the streets made me want to hurl to contents of my stomach.

We kept close to the ground. Tobias was in front of me, his arm behind him, keeping hold of mine. He wasn't going to let me go, he promised. It didn't sound like there were many soldiers patrolling, soon there would be hoards of them looking for us.

Stopping outside of a building two down from the place that dealt with charities that were starting up, Tobias pointed to a small window around the back that was set on floor level. Tapping on it in a series of knocks, the window folded inwards, opening for us. It wasn't a large opening, I was thankful that we were both very slight in weight terms. Tobias headed down first, slithering his body through it. I could hear a thud as his feet hit the floor. Lowering myself down on to my bottom. Shuffling to the window, I pushed my feet through first. I let my back touch to floor, pushing myself downwards. I could feel Tobias - or I hoped it was him - reach up, placing his hands on my hips to help the final stretch of climbing in. The nape of my neck bumped against the windows seal.

My hair just fell down from above me when a pair of bodies rushed to close it. They clicked the lock, sticking up a floorboard to blank the window out. Small streams of light flitted through the gaps, illuminating small spots of the room. Dust swirled around in the light.

"Beatrice?"

That sound. It was like music to my ears, the heavens had opened and given me a gift. My eyes began to water.

My brother ran to me, enveloping me in a hug that was so tight, so filled with love and longing that it crushed me.

I let out a strangled noise. He was actually crushing me in his bear hug.

"Caleb, you're hurting me."

He stepped back immediately, arms pulling back.

"I'm so sorry!" He starts to trip over his words trying to be apologetic.

I gave him a smile. I couldn't not, it was so wonderful seeing his face. There didn't seem to be a scratch on him.  
Standing became a struggle. My legs wobbled, Tobias coming to drape my arm over his shoulders, supporting me. My arm clung to him, thankful for him taking most of my weight.

Caleb led us down a dark corridor that was damp underfoot. It smelt like a sewer in here.

We enter a larger room. There are cots in the room with bodies curled up, children snuggled under their arms fast asleep. We have to creep past them, to be able to reach another door, in the right hand corner. We enter the room, a squeal deafening me. My mother runs to me, trying to hug me around Tobias. She flashes him a look.

My father doesn't approach me. His posture is straight, arms crossed around his torso.

"I'm so glad you're alive," I cry out. My lip wobbles and I collapse in to my mothers arms. I howl, my body shaking against hers.

* * *

Till next time!


	28. Chapter 28

I am so so sorry it took so long to get this up! I have been so busy. But here you go :)

Note: I do not own the novels/world created by Veronica Roth.

* * *

It was so emotional to be in that room with my family. My father eventually broke down, bringing my body close to his, resting one hand on the back of my head, solid against his hard chest. I felt bad, I knew Marcus must be here, which meant for Tobias his tormenter could end up face to face with him by the time the day was out.

Every time there were footsteps out of the room, he would involuntarily flinch ever so slightly. You wouldn't pick it up unless you were watching closely. I couldn't take my eyes away from him. I was so thankful to him, from getting me away from my impending death. I was ninety percent sure that I was happy to be away from Eric's games. My mind still wandered to him. I reacted to him, with anger, hatred and sometimes with what I thought could be pleasure.

We crowded in the room with the cots, everyone seemed to be awake, hunched over in their cots as the sun rose outside. The attacks had calmed down after that night, the darkness was dangerous - more dangerous than the light. They plotted during the day, tended to their own soldiers. It was safer in broad daylight, something that was unusual. They didn't want to be spotted easily, I got told. It was more effective for an army to attack when light wasn't present, where we may not be prepared, sleeping in our beds. In prime position to be slaughtered.

A large steaming pot, filled with cabbage soup boiled over as the lid was lifted off. The smell wafted through the room, the grumble in my stomach showing just how hungry I had become. I needed more nutrients than normal but how was I meant to explain that? I didn't want to worry my parents, tell them I was carrying one of the enemies child. I could just imagine them breaking down, this wasn't how they wanted grandchildren. You never saw someone my age with a child, fresh out of initiation. That came when you were in your twenties. Heck, maybe it was different in Dauntless, where the old don't exist. I never once saw someone with even one grey strand in their hair.

Metal bowls clanked against the ladle as soup was poured slowly, one bowl at a time. We were all so eager to eat. There was a small portion of bread served with the soup, trying to bulk it out with what rations they had left. They had been reduced to raiding houses for food in the daylight.

Tobias came to sit beside me, carrying two bowls. Passing the first bowl to me, he organised the cutlery once he had settled in. I took the spoon to my mouth after filling it with the green hued water. It chunked against my teeth in my hurry to eat.

It was filling, warming my stomach. I let out a small sigh, the treatment here was such a stark difference to my refinement in Erudite. I had finished it within minutes, pushing the bowl to rest upon my knees. I looked around the room, the same urgency for food displaying on the faces of everyone here. It was a fear for when your next meal would be, or if you would even make it.

Tobias reaches out, quick as a flash, swapping my plate for his. His still contains around one third of the soup with a couple tears worth of bread. His fingers touch to his lips when I look sideways at Tobias, with a small smile on my lips. He has a mischievous smile.

I hope my smile to him says all the thank yous that I could ever create. He was always thinking of others - when he wasn't under a simulation. We hadn't yet talked together properly about the simulation, or what happened to me when he wasn't set to watch me as a guard.

"Eat up, Bea-Tris" my mother says, patting my soothingly on the back.

She comes to sit opposite is on the empty cot. Her bottom lip quivers. Her gaze turns to Tobias.

"It has been a long time since I last saw you. You looked so young at the choosing ceremony, yet your face was aged with all the trauma you had gone through."

Tobias keeps quiet. I know about his mother, how she died. It was very out of the ordinary when it first happened. The screams of his father in the street calling for help wasn't something that happened in our normal lives. But Tobias never had a normal life after that.

"Your father is here somewhere - Beatrice's father has collaborated with him on the fight against Erudite. You understand how much they can become ranting old men when they get talking about that faction," she says with a coy smile.

I try to swallow the lump that has formed in my throat. My mind flashes back to the simulation, the sound of leather cracking against bare skin. I don't know how Tobias had remained so calm, not changing in posture. I certainly couldn't have if the tables had been turned. His hand is tight against the space between us in the bed, crinkling the fabric up under his fingers. My own hand finds his. He releases the tension in his hand, allowing our fingers to fit together. It is almost as if they were created for each other - molding in to each other perfectly.

"I'm sure he is far too busy to see me," I can almost here the words he refrains from saying. He so badly wants to say, 'and besides, I don't want to see him.' But Tobias would never be so rude, at least I could never imagine him being rude. He was so composed. Perhaps he would be rude to Eric if we ever saw him again.

"You are his son, he can make time." My mother says in a firm voice, that has an in approving tone to it - she doesn't approve of our fathers locking themselves away, or of the war.

"Thank you Mrs Prior but honestly, it's okay."

My mother purses her lips, her eyes narrowing at him with a strange scrutiny. She gets up, her eyes finding our hands cupped together. The strict face she just moments ago had, lightens.

"I always knew you were a good boy," she says in a motherly tone. "but don't hurt my daughter."

* * *

Are you happy for some FourXTris? :)


	29. Chapter 29

I havent stopped the story, dont worry! I will make regular updates from here on out :) thank you so much for sticking with me, following, reviewing and sending messages to check up that I'm okay!

Note: I do not own the novels/world created by Veronica Roth.

* * *

I spend the rest of the day with Four. We walk further in to the chambers of the basement. The walls are wet, spores growing in corners forming a nasty selection of mould on the ceiling. Every now and then, it will drip, the liquid smelling so foul my nose wrinkles.

Four had led me down to a room that held two seperate beds, pushed against each other to try and form a double. I raised my eyebrows at him, wondering if this was meant to be something suggestive. He chuckled softly at me.

"I promise that's not the reason we are here."

Upon the bed lays a small green box, labelled 'medical supplies.' Tobias leads me the rest of the way to the bed. His hands touch my shoulders, pushing my body down. My body is awkward in response, sitting down with a slight tremble. Tobias opens the lid to the kit. Glancing over, I can see a selection of gauze, bandages, alcohol swabs, a small pair of tong like implements, a sewing needle and thread. I bite my lip nervously when his hands brush the shiny, steel tools.

"I'm really sorry, this is going to hurt. I need to take out your tracker."

He pulls aside his t-shirt, showing a nasty hole where he ameturly dug out the tracker.

Tobias takes hold of a alcohol swab, gently brushing my hair from my naked shoulder. It's cold and tingles, giving me goosebumps. Next he passes me a wad of fabric. I look at him, puzzled. It looks clean.

"You're going to want to bite down on this."

I take it from his palms, opening my mouth. My mouth salivates against the fabric as I stuff it in to my mouth. My teeth bite down hard. My jaw aches from being opened so wide to compensate for the fabric.

"Are you ready?"

I nod my head, expelling a deep breath through my nostrils. My eyes squeeze shut in compensation for the pain I am about to feel.

Tobias takes a scalpel to my neck, cutting in to my skin just deep enough to break through several layers of skin. It hurts, not a huge amount. It is more disconcerting the blood that runs down my back.

Tobias digs the tongs in to the open wound, pushing them around to grab on to the tracker. A low whine comes out of my mouth, muffled by the fabric. Tobias stops for a moment, until I wave my hands at him to just continue and get it over and done with.

I can feel the metal push against the muscles roughly under my skin. I can feel the tongs pull around the tracker, yanking it out of my shoulder. I slump, a noise of relief glad that it is over. I pull the fabric out of my fabric for Tobias to stop me.

"You're going to want to put that back in. I've got to stitch you back up."

My fists ball when the needle pierces my skin. This is far worse than the digging around he had to do. Every time the needle moves through my skin, a burn starts. It feels like I've grazed myself over and over on carpet for hours.

I'm mumbling foul things under my breath incoherently, focusing on these words - trying to avoid the tightening of my skin as it puckers together from the stitches.

The needle glides through my skin one last time, air rushing through my teeth as Tobias knots the thread. He swabs at my back, wiping away the blood that had trickled down my back.

Tobias clears up behind himself, disappearing in to a bathroom. He returns with clothes piled up in his arms. They are all grey, Abnegation written all over the colour scheme. I don't know why I'm surprised, because really - what other colour would it be? There is a pair of loose grey pants, with a marled tank top. Tobias chucks them down on the bed.

"I thought you might appreciate getting changed."

"Thank you," I say, a smile creeping across my face. I take hold of the clothes appreciatively. Tobias doesn't move. I give him a curious expression.

"Turn your back then."

Tobias hesitates for a second. There is a look of longing in his eyes. He bites the corner of his lips, turning around. I can see the muscles in his back strained. I turn my body half away, to try and give myself further dignity. I strip off my clothes, changing as quick as possible within the limited time frame. I think I see Tobias turn his head ever so slightly, peeking out the corner of his eye. I surprisingly don't feel embarrassed.

My shoulder stings as the fabric presses lightly against the freshly stitched wound.

Once I've finished, I plop down on the bed.

"You can turn around," I call.

Tobias comes to sit next to me. His thigh brushes mine, a hot feeling spreading through the area.

"Tris," he says, all of a sudden serious.

"Yes?" I ask numbly. I sense this may be a question I do not want to face.

"You know he will come for you, don't you?" It comes out more sinister than he had wanted it to sound.

"I know."

"I can't keep you safe unless you trust me. You need to do as I say. I'm not trying to control you. I'm not like him," the last word is spat out with venom.

I start to look around the room. Anywhere but looking at Tobias. I try so hard to focus on something. I end up staring at the corner, where mold is forming - green and slimey.

"I know you want to keep me safe."

"I know you want to keep that baby safe too." Baby comes out hushed, so quiet that it strains my ears to try and hear it.

He continues. "I'm telling you now, he won't protect you in this. He will take that baby from you, even if it his own flesh and blood. Jeanine will make it so."

"Tobias," I stop him.

"What is it?" He asks.

"What happened, with Kaitlyn? Did you two..."

His lips purse, his face screwing up.

"I don't remember."

I look at him finally. "I thought we weren't going to base what we have here on lies."

"I remember her face, snippets of things but not enough to give you a definitive answer, Tris."

"I guess we both have made mistakes then," I say sadly.


	30. Chapter 30

See I'm becoming more regular! How are you all? Are you still enjoying the story? Let me know! I present you today the story from Eric's eyes. I thought it was important you could see his thoughts :)

Note: I do not own the world/novels created by Veronica Roth.

* * *

ERIC'S POV:

The headquarters at Erudite were laced with tension in the air. Jeanine had gotten in to a rage to the point she was frothing at the mouth. It wasn't attractive, she looked like a grizzly bear, ready to slash her claws deep in to your chest. Kaitlyn had scrambled on to her sister, fingers digging in, trying to calm her down.

It didn't help. Tris and Four escaping had put us all on high alerts. I kept my lips pursed throughout the tyrant ranting of Jeanine. In the end, a swift slap across her face had stopped her. I had put more force than needed, the inner Eric displaying some emotion. It wasn't good to show weakness, anything that your enemies could grasp on to and use against you. I was annoyed that Tris was able to escape. We had checked the security cameras, only to see that they had become screens of fuzzy pixels, rushing about the page.

Somehow she had bought out part of me that I had locked away. It was all a game, a manipulation mission in the beginning. It developed in to something more, I couldn't even pin point the exact moment. It physically felt like a punch to the gut every time I had to twist her around my finger after that. I had to keep the pretence up for Jeanine - it wouldn't be safe to let that fall down. I would swiftly be executed. Which wouldn't help protect Tris. I've never felt I had to protect someone else, bar myself. I was selfish at heart, I came first and that was that. I could feel the heat rise in my body, thoughts clouding whenever I kissed her. I could see the reaction in her eyes, the same rope pulling her side to side in her mind. It was restraint that I needed to be capable of.

I always knew the end game. I never cared at first, whereas now every other thought is when she could die. The thought of her dying now, makes something inside of me swell with an unquenchable rage.

It felt every moment since I switched off Fours simulation, eyes were watching me. Beady and ready to attack. No one had suspected me - why would they? I had a false relationship with her in their eyes, got intimate, impregnated her.

The unquenchable rage may be result of that. It made my mind feel like it was boiling away in to a puddle of murky sludge when I thought about having a child. I wasn't the fatherly type. I didn't have compassion, or love. The nagging feeling of knowing Tris could bring these emotions out of me petrified me.

I had to let her go. I had to have her safe. Even if it was with someone I despised. I didn't let him know it was me. I didn't need to have the hero badge, to have her feel anything further for me. Protect her by protecting her away from me. I was a chain reaction for bad things. It came with the name tag.

I was standing in my quarters, pulling my body upwards, muscles straining, steady breaths. My chin reaches level with the metal bar that is drilled in to a cove. Keeping my body in shape took a lot of dedication. I had been here for half an hour, already having reached several chin ups. I kept exercise to precise areas. Cardio was important, to be able to catch traitors. When I ran earlier this morning, my feet began to take towards the trains. I definitely was failing at this restraint mission I had set myself.

She had looked so frail the last time I saw her. I pushed my body faster, sweat starting to spread across my tank top. My thoughts were better kept away from her.

The communicated attached to my waist crackled and fuzzed. Kaitlyn's voice came over the communicator.

"Eric, report to floor five. Make your way in to the conference room."

I rolled my eyes. My feet found the floor, thudding. The mass of my body crunching the wood underfoot. Pulling the communicator from the waistband of my trousers, I tried to evaporate the irritation in my voice.

"I'll be there," I reply.

Making my way, weaving fluidly throughout the corridors on the way to floor five I make it there in minutes.

The conference room is packed. There isn't anywhere to sit there is so many important officials in here. Jeanine had slowly been recruiting people, digging deep in to resisters pasts for blackmail. I had to credit her, it worked. Most of the people in this room had dirty secrets buried in their closets. We hadn't been able to recruit Marcus Eaton. Jeanine had seriously flawed in realising how much the relationship of father and son had broken down.

Jeanine let's out a small, but strong cough. Eyes snap in her direction.

"This is a briefing mission. Due to my experiments, we need Beatrice Prior. Not just need. She is our future to becoming the leaders of our world. We have to keep control of the people and government. Beatrice Prior is a divergent. Possibly even a second generation divergent. Most importantly, she is carrying a child. If we can study the evolution of divergence early on so we can eradicate it - this will secure our future."

My blood was boiling, the rage rising in my throat. The urge to pull the gun from its sheath and aim it at her forehead sparkled in my mind. I had to allow myself to jufix fixate on imagining it in my head.

"This is a tactical mission," she continues. "Retrieve her, alive. You will face your death if you bring her back cold and blue."

"Where is she suspected to be located?" An official asks curiously, interrupting her.

"Abnegation. With Four." She spits this out venemously. "Bring him in alive. What state of alive, I do not care," Jeanine says with a flick of her wrist.

I needed to be four steps ahead last time. I now needed to be a thousand.

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Would you like to see more chapters from other people's point of view? Till next time.


	31. Chapter 31

I cannot even begin to say how sorry I am for leaving you for so long. Life got a hold of me and I received quite a horrible message regarding a Eric and Tris pairing so it kind of put me off, I had to leave the dust settle. That is not to say I won't be doing that still! And a bit of Four Tris... Hopefully that won't happen again. I know there are more people that like it than those that express they hate it on here... so I do this for you guys as I like you. :)

Note: I do not own these characters or the world/novels created by Veronica Roth.

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Tris POV:

The war outside the windows at night always brings terror to the back of my throat, forming a lump that seems to choke me up. You can't feel safe in a war, not truly. You may be able to seek sanctuary but it is never ever lasting. Anyone could be taken from you at any moment. Over the coming days, people in other factions had made their way to Abnegation. It seemed crazy to me at first that anyone would travel here, to a community that was being wracked with bombs, people being dragged out of their houses and executed out in the streets. The noise of destruction had just become an addition to the rain that slashed down at the windows.

Space was running out within the camp, we were being pushed further away from the main halls, in to small cramped spaces in rooms that were not designed to be slept in. Four kept me close by, not wanting to leave my side apart from when his duties called him. As he had been under the simulation and could remember vague parts of what had happened at Erudite headquarters, the information was helpful against the war efforts. If I ever made it in to the room while they were discussing it, I could see the thick layer of tension that sat in the air between Marcus and Four. It was so strained, Four's muscles rippling tight underneath the fabric of his clothing.

I didn't get much information, it irritated be being buffed out of it, purely down to age. I was old enough to change factions, live without my parents, do dangerous things, get pregnant... yet help fight a war? They wouldn't let me. Or Four wouldn't. I wasn't sure if the orders to keep me out of it came from my parents possibly. They were never around to ask, always off having to do things of more importance.

I was going stir crazy inside this room. I had managed to find a small closet that was just big enough to stretch my body out lengths ways and still have a slight bit of room. It was freezing cold in here, the temperatures dropping heavily at night. It was small, cramped if there were two people but for the mean time I had the luxury of being by myself.

I'd got in to a position on the floor, with a partial amount of the duvet underneath me to keep my bottom from getting cold and the rest of it wrapped around like a mini igloo. There wasn't much to do here except for get caught up in my thoughts. What was I going to do about my parents? Could I escape this war before that happened? Or was that not fair to them, who would be grandparents? There was no easy way for me to back out of this situation, medical assistance just wasn't catering for someone with the child of a traitor and war leader.

The complications of wanting to go back there was what worried me most. There was a small drive in me that felt the need to go back to Erudite, my brain taking up a mental fight against itself trying to figure out what was the logical thing to do. I think of Four too. How can I not think of him? It was a tug of war in here, and I didn't know what side would win. I was starting to think these past few days they had drugged me with something that made me dependent to Erudite. That was the only thing that made sense. Why would anyone enter back in to those conditions willingly? Pregnancy brain?

The door creaked open, the flickering orange glow of a candle casting shadows against the wall. I had been in here in the darkness, listening to the rain pouring down, beating against the stench of death to wash it away.

"Tris?"

"Mmhmm," I respond vacantly. Four's head peeks around the door, his brows furrowing together to form a worried expression. He slides in to the closet, shutting the door with the back of his foot. It clicks shut softly as he takes position in the corner just behind the door.

"What are you doing in here? I had wondered where you had gotten up to."

"I just wanted to be away from everything. This is the only place really free for the moment."

"I didn't see you at dinner."

"I wasn't hungry," I state. It was a lie. I was hungry. We were all hungry. I was just avoiding the sullen faces that had lost hope. If they had lost hope, what did that mean for my future? These were the adults - they were the ones who were meant to be strong for the rest of us. If that couldn't happen, then we really are screwed.

"I don't think it's a case of just _you _deciding that-"

"Please stop. I just need a break from that for one day," I interrupt him. Four leans down, his hands touching against the floor. Wax spills down from the top of the candle, not getting caught in it's holder in it's movement, splashing down on to the tiled surface of the floor. It instantly dries against the cold tiles, forming a wax-y puddle. Four looks exhausted, the bags under his eyes purple, his hair starting to turn slightly greasy, the corners of his mouth frowning.

"Do you want to know what is happening in the war?"

I perk up at this. I can see the light that comes to my face, the wild eyes in the reflection of Four's eyes.

"Please," I say softly.

"Marcus and your father," I note how he can't call Marcus his father, he doesn't even deserve that title, "think it is best to fight fire with fire. I tried to explain to them it wouldn't work, the only thing that would happen is more death. They seem pretty set on it. Preparations are being made, weapons being collected, it won't be long now till we head to Erudite." Four bits his bottom lip at this, my eyes fixated on it. I do a mental shake, my attention being focused back to his eyes.

"Jeanine will just use you all for experiments, or execute you straight away," I comment.

"It is why I wanted to find you."

My face crumples. I don't like the way he announced this. "Please don't say it like you're not coming back."

"I may not. Eric may have it out with me straight away."

"Do you have to go?"

"If I want the future generations to be safe, then I do."

Four has left the candle in the corner of the room, nudging across the floor on his hands and knees to come to rest next to me. His knees would skim mine if the duvet was not acting as a barrier.

"Is this you saying goodbye then?"

"No. This is doing something I want to, _need _to before I leave."

I watch him carefully. Four is breathing steady and slowly through his nose, his face mere inches from mine. His eyelids are half open, hazy with lust. I can see it sparkling in his iris'. It feels like he is looking straight in to my soul, wanting to devour everything that is me. He is waiting for some kind of confirmation from me, his hands steadily hovering in the air just above his knees.

I can feel the flutter inside my stomach. Everything is so complex. Everything is not right. But how can I deny Four - when he is right here with me, going off to war to protect me in essence?

I watch his eyes wander down my face to my lips. I have no idea what state I must look, bed head hair all tussled, swollen eyes and in my bed clothes.

The hot tension in the air feels like it is wrapping me up tight in the duvet, making it hard to breathe, a thickness flowing in and out of my lungs. My head is craned to the side at an awkward angle so I can watch him.

I close my eyes.

He does not skip a beat before his hands find my face, cradling them in his grip, one set of fingers winding in the hair at the nape of my neck to bring my face to his. His lips crash down hard on mine, a salty sweetness set on them. My body has moved in the process, my knees pressed against his torso. The heat rises in my face as he kisses me with more urgency, his thumb tracing my cheekbones delicately. My lips part under his, giving him a second round of permission. The saltiness is on his tongue, fighting for a dominance with me. I can't help but get caught up in the moment, my own kisses to him becoming urgent. My hands make their way out of the duvet, reaching up to rest upon his shoulders.

Four is pushing away the duvet from my body, my skin tingling as the cold air hits it. I let out a soft moan, to which Four responds with more heat. His hand is traveling down my back, touching every nodule of my spine coming to rest in the small of my back. He uses this to his advantage, pressing me closer to his body. I've maneuvered my legs from out from their position resting against his torso, shifting - having to break off the kiss. Our breaths are hot and heavy, chests rising and falling, sweat covering parts of our bodies.

Four tries to stammer out a word, following a series of words I can't understand. I can hear my heart beating in my ears, the cold tingle of the top layer of my skin, whilst the blood underneath runs hot. His body encourages me closer, my hips buckle outwards as he does so. He catches my glance looking down, trying to see where I can comfortably sit. His had trails away from the small of my back and hair to my hips, pulling me in to the air with ease. He shifts me to sit upon his lap, knees touching his waist. My heart starts to stammer harder, remembering the last time I was in this position. I am so close to Four I can feel the heat in his body, his torso pressed to mine, every time our chests rise we bump against each other.

His hands are snugly resting against the small of my back. I make out his words this time.

"Tris, I couldn't go without -"

"Shh, you'll ruin the moment."

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Would you like some more of the FourxTris scene? ;) I _WILL_ make sure that I post again this week. I am so sorry. But I am back! Please review? It will help me to know if you're still interested or invested in this story. Thanks! x


	32. Chapter 32

Note: I do not own the characters or world created by Veronica Roth.

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"I can't leave without telling you that you are important to me. We have been through so much, so many bad things have happened to the both of us but I just can't go and not say that," Four announces.

"Of course I know that. It's not been easy..."

"I just wanted to say. You never know -"

"Don't you dare say that," I snap at him. "You're not going to die. You're a fighter."

Our lips touch for the briefest of moments before my body slams against Four's. A surprised look twinkles in his eyes for a split second, lost in the moment. His fingers tangle in my hair, his forehead gently pressed against mine. I feel something scatter on the crown of my head that I know for sure isn't his hand, reaching up to brush it away. A white powder sweeps off my hair and on to the floor. In a synchronized motion both Four and I look up towards the ceiling. There are small fissures in the concrete, dust falling down. A noise erupts outside, the ground shaking from beneath us. We both pull in to action fast. Getting up, or more Four helping to heave me up we start to run for the main room in this bunker style basement. Trying to keep up with Four's pace proves hard, beads of sweat already dotting my forehead. The ground is shaking violently, the structure of the building whining in response. I can see huge cracks gaping in the ceiling, in the walls, everywhere.

It's chaos in the hallways. People are screaming, fighting against each others bodies to find their loved ones. I have to place my elbows outwards so that I can push past them with ease. Four's head is just a blob in the distance, far too quick for me. I smack in to somebody shoulder, turning to apologize, my own shoulder starting to protest, a burning pain spreading throughout. I look up to see the persons face, only something more familiar hits me. She looks worn down, eyes red and puffy but it's definietly Christina. I have to shout to make my voice heard over the chaos.

"Christina!"

She hasn't really noticed me yet. She is looking towards my direction but not enough to really see me. Calling her name distracts her from whatever she had previously been seeing, turning to face me. Her eyes light up, something happy sparkling inside them.

"What's happening?" I shout.

"There was a bomb, it went off outside! Erudite soldiers have come for us, the whole street is burning down," her voice is hoarse as she shouts.

"What?! Have you seen my family?"

"No, sorry!"

I can't stay and chat further. I need to find them.

Screams erupt from the other side of the hallway. The sound of guns firing, bullets hitting in to flesh and concrete send my heart thumping inside my chest. I grab forwards to Christina, having lost complete sight of Four. I haul her next to my body and push through the crowd until I find a corridor that is slightly less busy with bodies slamming against each other.

I'm running, the soles of my feet pounding against the floor until I find the boiler room. I don't know how I knew where to go, having wandered around here for the last few days had helped but it seemed to make sense they wouldn't be looking for people in there.

The steam that hits our faces as we open the door feels like it is burning. I hurry Christina inside and close the door as quietly as possible. There is a crowbar just beside the door which I use to slide between the handles to prevent anyone being able to open the door.

It is practically pitch black in here, the only light coming from the blinking red and green dials on meters.

"How did you know this was here?" Christina asks.

"Shh, speak quieter. You don't want them to find us."

We have to be so careful where we go. The hot steam that flows out in to the air at sporadic moments could burn our skin. We slowly step around the room in the dark, finding a corner without any boilers to crouch down in.

"How long do you think we can stay in here?" Christina asks quieter this time, the fear still rising in her throat.

"I don't know. It depends how many Erudite are here and who.."

"You don't think Eric... do you?"

"He is too precious to Jeanine. I wouldn't think so," or hope so I think to myself. In the dark Christina can't see me playing with my hands nervously, fretting this exact question. What if Jeanine had been here too? What if all this is just to find me and I will have yet more blood on my hands? I don't think I could take that. There has been too many deaths to date already.

"It's just awful. All of this just happening... and Will," her voice hiccups, "I just. It's so cruel what happened to him."

I can't say anything. I feel like I've swallowed stones, stones that are sitting in my throat painfully. I can hear her sniffling in the dark, unable to see her face. I'm glad of the darkness, I wouldn't want her to see the guilt that is plastered across mine.

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It's a short chapter, I'm sorry! It's better than nothing until I can be less busy and write more :)


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